In this episode of Practical Product Management, hosts Leah Farmer and Marilyn McDonald sit down with Peter Collingridge, a seasoned product leader, to explore the evolving world of fractional product management. Together, they unpack the nuances of fractional roles—how they differ from traditional full-time positions, the balance of ownership and consulting, and the importance of time management.

Peter shares insights from his own fractional CPO experience, discussing the need for clear boundaries, deep focus, and rapid impact in fractional work. The conversation delves into leadership dynamics, the power of data-driven decision-making, and the critical role of diagnosing organizational issues. The trio also highlights the often-overlooked emotional layer of product management—how navigating human dynamics, trust-building, and team alignment can be just as crucial as solving functional challenges.

Throughout the episode, they offer practical advice for Product Managers looking to embrace uncertainty, set boundaries, and optimize their impact—whether in a fractional role or a full-time position.

Key Takeaways:

1. Fractional product roles require laser focus – Unlike traditional full-time roles, fractional product leaders must prioritize impact over politics, making every hour count.

2. Ownership sets fractional work apart from consulting – Fractional PMs aren’t just offering advice; they take accountability for outcomes, often with founder-level intensity.

3. People problems are often bigger than product problems – Diagnosing organizational challenges requires understanding both functional inefficiencies and emotional dynamics.

4. Data, not opinions, should drive decisions – A strong research foundation helps align leadership, reduce bias, and focus teams on what truly matters for customers.

In this kickoff episode of season two of Practical Product Management, Leah and Marilyn dive into New Year’s resolutions and their parallels to product management practices. They tackle the common resolutions people set—like losing weight, spending more time with family, and getting out of debt—and reframe them for PMs as trimming backlogs, improving customer and stakeholder relationships, and managing tech debt. The conversation emphasizes the importance of intentionality in meetings, strategic time management, and learning new skills to grow personally and professionally. Leah and Marilyn reflect on flexibility, experimentation, and the value of creating leaner processes in both life and product management.

Key Takeaways

1. Trimming the Fat: Clean up your backlog by removing unnecessary items and outdated features, and keep MVPs truly minimal.
2. Building Relationships: Spend more time with the “family” of your work—customers, stakeholders, and engineering—by breaking down barriers and improving collaboration.
3. Managing Debt: Address tech and relationship debt by honoring commitments, mending connections, and being strategic with budgeting.
4. Intentionality Matters: Reevaluate meeting cadences and communication habits to improve efficiency and focus on high-value activities.

🎄 A Special Holiday Episode to Wrap Up 2024 🎁

In the final episode of Practical Product Management Season 1, Leah Farmer and Marilyn McDonald celebrate the year with a thought-provoking conversation featuring Toni Dos Santos, a B2B product consultant and AI expert. Toni shares his remarkable journey from economics and the music industry to entrepreneurship, offering insights into how startups can find product-market fit faster and build sustainable business models.

This festive season, we reflect on how AI is transforming the world of product management, why solving real problems matters more than chasing trends, and how visionary leadership can light the path for future innovation. Join us as we unwrap the lessons of 2024 and look ahead to a bright, innovative 2025.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI as the Gift That Keeps Giving: Use AI to streamline your workload and focus on what matters most—creating meaningful, human-centered solutions.
2. MVPs: The Perfect Stocking Stuffer: A well-crafted MVP is like the best holiday gift—thoughtful, practical, and exactly what the recipient needs.
3. Visionary Leadership: The North Star: Just like Santa's sleigh, a strong vision guides teams through challenges and keeps innovation on course.

🎅🎄✨

🍂 In this special Thanksgiving episode of Practical Product Management, hosts Leah and Marilyn dive into how product management skills transcend the workplace and enrich everyday life. From communication and prioritization to empathy and feedback loops, they explore how these principles help navigate challenges and build stronger connections outside of work.

The episode features 7 inspiring stories from the PM community, showcasing real-life applications of product thinking. Whether it’s managing family dynamics, planning a garden with a Kanban board, or organizing a dinner party using MVP principles, these stories illustrate how product management skills create clarity and drive results in personal life.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

➡️ Communication builds stronger relationships.

➡️ Prioritization helps focus on what matters most.

➡️ Feedback loops create growth in personal and professional contexts.

➡️ Gratitude for PM skills fosters intentionality and connection.

This Thanksgiving-themed episode is a celebration of the ways product management transforms lives. Tune in to hear practical insights, heartfelt stories, and inspiration for applying PM principles beyond work.

In this episode of Practical Product Management, Leah and Marilyn sit down with Jil Berning, founder of Femote, to discuss her journey from product manager to entrepreneur in healthcare tech. Jil dives into her motivations for creating a company focused on remote gynecological solutions and shares the challenges she’s encountered along the way. The conversation touches on building a supportive company culture, the role of vulnerability in leadership, and the importance of addressing the gender gap in healthcare. Together, they explore themes of resilience, the power of open communication, and why having a strong “why” is crucial for founders. Jil’s story offers valuable insights for anyone passionate about making a difference in tech and healthcare.

Key Takeaways

• From Product Manager to Purpose-Driven Founder: Jil's transition from product management to founding Femote showcases how PM skills like iteration, MVP thinking, and empathy apply in entrepreneurial roles.
• Vulnerability and Culture-Building: Open, honest conversations are essential in fostering a healthy team environment, particularly when navigating the pressures of a startup.
• Championing Women’s Health: Jil’s focus on femtech highlights the need for women’s health to be prioritized in healthcare and research, given longstanding gender biases.
• Embracing Discomfort as Growth: Jil emphasizes that courage in entrepreneurship means stepping into discomfort and valuing growth, even when outcomes are uncertain.

Feel free to leave comments here or go to our Ask Us page on the website for comments, questions, or show ideas: practicalpmpodcast.com

In this episode of Practical Product Management, Leah and Marilyn sit down with Mirela Mus, founder of Product People, to unpack the unique world of interim product management. They discuss how interim roles differ from traditional product management, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, tactical execution, and navigating the challenges of temporary engagements. Mirela shares insights on balancing strategy with execution under time constraints and how market trends have reshaped the product management landscape. She offers a candid look at the evolving demands of the industry and her vision for a more resilient, business-integrated future for product management.

Key Takeaways

• Adaptability in Interim Roles: Interim product managers must quickly assess situations, identify priority tasks, and integrate into teams without the long onboarding period of in-house roles.
• Navigating Market Dynamics: As market trends shift, so do the opportunities and expectations for product managers, making resilience and flexibility essential traits in this evolving field.
• Building a Broad Skill Set: Interim roles provide PMs with exposure to diverse industries and challenges, building versatile, adaptable skill sets that are valuable in the changing product landscape.

Feel free to leave comments here or go to the ASK US page on our website (practicalpmpodcast.com)

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In this episode, Leah and Marilyn dive into the nuanced world of product management through the lens of team dynamics, particularly focusing on transitions when employees move on. They discuss the challenges leaders face emotionally and strategically during these transitions, highlighting the need for open communication and empathy. The conversation explores how leaders can balance the transactional nature of employment with a supportive work culture, advocating for a holistic approach that sees employees as whole individuals. Leah and Marilyn share practical strategies for product leaders to enhance team resilience, understand the impacts of performance evaluations, and encourage career growth within and beyond the team.

Key Takeaways

• Transitions as Growth Moments: Employee departures, while challenging, are opportunities for growth and evolution within the team and organization.
• Empathy-Driven Leadership: Empathetic leadership that sees employees as whole individuals fosters stronger team dynamics and open communication.
• Understanding the Employment Transaction: Recognizing the transactional nature of employment helps leaders stay grounded, manage transitions without taking them personally, and build supportive workplace relationships.

Leave us a comment or check out our "Ask Us" page at practicalpmpodcast.com

In this episode of Practical Product Management, we sit down with Jay Fluegel, a seasoned product leader with 25 years of experience spanning startups, Microsoft, Expedia, and Axon. Together, we explore the evolving role of product management across different organizational contexts, from big tech giants to traditional, non-digital companies. The conversation underscores the importance of fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and building resilient teams across industries.

Key Takeaways

• Product Management as a Philosophy
• Context Matters
• Overcoming Resistance
• Finding Joy and Support

Feel free to leave your comments/questions here, or to check out our website: practicalPMpodcast.com