Episodes

AI is transforming the way we work, but building great AI products takes more than hype. In this episode of Productly Speaking, Karl Abbott talks with Dina Atia, an AI Product Manager at Microsoft, about how to navigate the noise and focus on what really matters: solving real user problems. Dina shares practical insights on managing expectations, balancing bold visions with incremental progress, and the skills PMs need to thrive in this fast-moving space. From rapid prototyping to aligning metri...

What if the thing you are closest to is actually what is blinding you?In this episode, Karl talks with Jake Bowen-Bate about the quiet, human challenges of building products in fast‑moving environments. Jake shares what it really feels like to work in places where you are building the plane, flying it, and still figuring out how the controls work, all while knowing the money might literally run out if you get it wrong. The pressure is real, the workload never quite matches the capacity, and th...

What happens when all the advice you followed turns out to be wrong for the job in front of you?In this episode, Karl talks with Katie Tamblin about the lived reality of building products inside what she calls “chunky corporates” and why so many well‑intentioned product efforts quietly fall apart there. Katie shares hard‑earned stories from decades inside large organizations, including the moment she realized that everything she knew about building new products simply did not apply to replacin...

Episode Summary:In this episode of Productly Speaking, host Karl Abbott sits down with Lee Fischman—seasoned developer, product manager, executive, and author of How to Excel at Digital Product Management. Lee shares decades of experience across industries from fintech to healthcare, and dives deep into what makes a great product manager beyond the usual playbook.We explore the mindset that drives success, why humility and empathy are non-negotiable, and how overlooked skills like communicat...

Welcome to Season 4 of Productly Speaking! In this short kickoff episode, host Karl Abbott introduces the theme for the season:Why do products fail and what can we learn from those failures?We’ll explore the hidden risks, organizational dynamics, and human factors that shape product success or lead to disaster.If you’re a product manager, founder, or anyone building products, this season will challenge your assumptions and help you think differently about success and failure! Subscribe so ...