What happens when product leaders prioritize profit over long-term value?

In this episode, Michael Nierstedt shares lessons from more than a decade building payroll and HR technology across companies like Gusto and Paylocity. He explains why product investment drives competitive advantage, why product managers must think like sellers inside their organizations, and how real influence comes from delivering value in production.

The conversation also explores customer research, the realities of building AI-driven products, and why the next generation of product leaders must learn to delegate, coach, and empower their teams.

Overthinking isn't a liability — it might just be your greatest edge as a product leader.

In celebration of women's history month, Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women in Product and a veteran CPO with 20 years in the industry.

Carmen makes the case for why women's "overthinking" is a competitive edge, argues product management isn't going anywhere, and issues a sharp call to action: get in on AI now, before the gap widens.

She also unpacks the power of the personal board and what Women in Product has planned for 2026.

In this special episode of Product Rebels, Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin revisit highlights from their recent webinar, AI as a Force Multiplier for Product Discipline, featuring product and AI leader Elena Luneva. After the live session sparked a wave of thoughtful audience questions, they sit down to tackle some of the most pressing ones—from how AI is reshaping product work to why strong product fundamentals matter more than ever.

Note: As Product Rebels journeys deeper into supporting teams navigating AI, we're resharing this episode featuring Kene Anoliefo who shared some great insights. We hope you enjoy!

How is AI reshaping product management?

Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Kene Anoliefo, Co-founder of HEARD by Elis, to explore how AI is accelerating product development, streamlining research, and transforming how teams build and iterate.

Kene shares insights on leveraging AI for rapid experimentation, the risks of low-quality product output, and why AI-driven tools are redefining how product teams operate.

What does great product leadership look like when you’re asked to go along with a big initiative you don’t believe in?

In this episode, former CPO at Everway, Timothy Alvis, talks about the tough calls product leaders face when conviction clashes with consensus.

From telling better stories, to embracing problem obsession over solution fixation, Tim shares hard-earned wisdom from leading at scale and navigating complex orgs. We also hear how he’s now applying AI to rethink product work itself. Whether you’re an aspiring CPO or in the trenches today, this episode offers plenty of gold.

What happens when you challenge long-held assumptions—and let real data and user behavior lead?

In this episode, Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Harish Pandian, CPO at Gravity, to talk about driving product transformation in industries resistant to change.

From building gamified safety tools to rapid-fire prototype testing on job sites, Harish shares how deep customer empathy, hard data, and cross-functional trust unlock real adoption and lasting impact.

What does it really mean to make AI practical in product teams?

In this special year-end episode, Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin are sharing highlights from a recent Product Rebels live webinar focused on how product leaders can apply AI in meaningful, responsible ways.

Joined by Polly Allen, former Principal Product Manager at Alexa AI, they explore grounding AI in real customer problems, aligning AI efforts to business strategy, and why leaders can’t afford to stay hands-off.

This is a candid, experience-driven conversation about judgment, risk, and leadership in an AI-powered product world.

What happens when a product leader enters a company and rewrites the strategy playbook—not with a megaphone, but with a matchstick and a campfire?

Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Raji Bedi, CPO at Lob, as he shares his analogies-packed approach to aligning teams, building product culture, and moving from "roadmap blur" to clarity and execution. From transforming product managers into organizational "locals", to advocating for faster cadence and fuller buckets, Raji offers a masterclass in practical product leadership.

Tune in for a memorable and energizing conversation on curiosity, collaboration, and leading with intent.