S2:E11 - Year 1: Friendship, Frameworks, and the Future of Product

In this special anniversary episode of Practical Product Management, we’re celebrating one year (and 33 episodes!) of podcasting together. What started as a casual pub conversation turned into a space where we could stay connected, talk shop, and bring honest, in-the-trenches product conversations to life.

We reflect on some of our favorite moments, what we’ve learned from our guests (and each other), and why staying power matters—especially for women in tech. We also dig into the real talk: the bullshit of 12-month roadmaps, how product teams get stuck in fake experimentation, and why it’s still all about building what matters with the people who matter.

Whether you’ve been with us from episode one or just found us today—thank you. We’re not selling anything. We’re just showing up, saying the quiet parts out loud, and making space for more real, human, and practical product conversations.

Key Takeaways

1. There’s Power in Sticking With ItMany women leave tech mid-career—and product leadership can be lonely. This podcast started as a way for two friends to stay connected and talk about real problems. A year later, it’s still about that (and it still matters).

2. Frameworks Don’t Build Products—People DoMarilyn and Leah have worked across industries, teams, and countries—and the lesson is always the same: theory is great, but nothing replaces curiosity, experimentation, and showing up with integrity.

3. Product Work Is Changing—And It ShouldFrom the AI hype cycle to shifting DEI conversations to the breakdown of “growth” as a silo, the future of product management demands new thinking. Real innovation will come from those brave enough to question how things have always been done.

Reflection Questions for Product Managers

• Who keeps you anchored and inspired in your product career—and how are you staying connected to them?

• Are you experimenting fast enough to really learn… or just building roadmaps to appease stakeholders?

• How can you build or participate in a product community that’s grounded in generosity, not gatekeeping?

Feel free to leave comments or show ideas here or on our Ask Us page.