Podcasts for Product Managers

I am an auditory learner. I think podcasts are a great way to learn from the trials & tribulations of tech companies, stay up to date on the latest tech news and sharpen our Product skills. Here are nine podcasts that I enjoy listening to and would recommend to my fellow Product Managers, hoping to help improve our craft!

I have included the logos so you can find them easily in your favorite podcast app. The logos belong to corresponding podcast owners and due credit to them.

Acquired.fm: Ben and David, 2 VCs, tell the story of tech companies and try to find patterns in their success/failure. I love the portion of the podcast that dwells into the history of companies. This is often narrated by David Rosenthal, who is a great storyteller. I have been following them from Season One and have enjoyed seeing the hosts grow and the podcast evolve over the past 8+ years. PMs can find motivations, choose the right business model, find the right partners, channel…gain clarity with this podcast.

How I built this (HIBT): Guy Raz from NPR interviews founders of successful companies and movements in HIBT. In less than an hour, we learn about the history of companies, critical pivots, the decisions that mattered… Guy Raz wrote a book, giving advice and perspective to founders. In this podcast, we learn how ideas become into companies.

Wisdom from the Top: Guy Raz from NPR interviews CEO/leaders who played crucial roles in a company’s history, in Wisdom from the Top. In less than an hour, we learn about the critical pivots, the decisions that mattered… In this podcast, we learn how leaders help ideas succeed. BTW, Guy Raz also hosts “Wow in the world!”, a great podcast for children.

Pivot: Pivot is hosted by Kara Swisher (also host of Sway and founder of Recode, WSJ partner of Walt Mossberg) and Scott Galloway (Prof at NYU Stern teaching Brand Strategy). These two have engaging discussion on current business/tech affairs. Kara is one of the best networked tech journalists who tends to be able to keep in touch with the Who’s Who of the tech world. Prof G has a lot of great insights and has a unique sense of humor. Be warned that expletives are used liberally in this podcast.

Prof G Pod: This is Scott’s own podcast He answers questions from listeners and has unique perspectives. These two podcasts make for light listening and ensures that you are caught up on latest tech happenings.

Geek Wire: This is another podcast that is about Tech News. I love that it is Seattle based and not in the Valley and therefore offers a different perspective from other podcasts. I love Todd Bishop’s polite take on things. I also love Monica Nickelsburg’s perspective on the civic effects of tech. Geek Wire holds an annual conference, which I attended once and loved. This is like Pivot/Prof G Pod — pretty light listening.

Product Mastery Now: Chad McAllister (Ph. D.) invites great Product Leaders and help us learn from them. Chad also provides training to team to improve their Product Management Skills. Each podcast dwells into one domain/skill; making it easy for you to pick what’s relevant for you. I love the fact that Chad takes notes for us! This podcast was called The Everyday Innovator in the past.

Freakonomics: An oldie but goodie. Started by an economist (Steven Levitt, a Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago) and a reporter/journalist (Stephen Dubner), this podcast helps us view problems from an economical lens. Product Manager will benefit from framing problems properly and seeing how to carefully use statistics. Stephen Dubner has himself grown to be an economist, IMHO, over the years.

No Stupid questions: This relatively newer podcast by Dubner and Angela Duckworth is similar to Freakonomics but deals more with psychology than economics. Angela Duckworth is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Psychology plays a huge role in user satisfaction and delight and is a must for PMs since our customers are finally humans.

If there are podcasts you have heard for more than one season and think would help Product Managers, please let us know! Adios!