Working notes from product people

Ask the people who’ve done it.

A free, searchable library of 1,799 of the best product-management essays, podcast episodes and posts, from Lenny Rachitsky, Marty Cagan, Teresa Torres and seven others, that answers your questions with citations.

For PMs, founders and anyone building products

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Answers quote and cite the source notes

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01 — Topics · the card catalogueBrowse by topic

Postfree essay or newsletter postPaidsubscriber post, summary onlyPodcastepisode with key learningsXpost on XHover a tag for the publication

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Open drawer · 05

Building AI products

301 notes · 90 people · 2014–2026
SVPG · Marty CaganSep 25, 2026

Experts Lead Experts

Sep 25, 2026 · 3 min

Marty Cagan argues that the current trend of cutting managers in favor of pure individual-contributor builders is a temporary phase rather than the future. He restates the principle that experts lead experts: effective…

The Looking Glass · Julie Zhuo♥ 53

What will we use our minds for?

Oct 7, 2026
Subscriber post — summary only

The essay opens with an anecdote about a journalist's first impressions of a notable figure, using it as a jumping-off point to ask what humans should use their minds for as AI takes on more cognitive work. It frames…

@hnshah · Hiten Shah on X♥ 7
AI can tell you why you lost a deal even when it has no idea. I asked Claude why Linear is losing deals to Jira. All it had was public web research. There were no buyer interviews, call notes, or deal records behind the answer. Claude still gave me reasons. With the win/loss
Lenny’s Podcast121 min

The grief, loneliness, and burnout sweeping through the tech industry right now

Molly Graham · Sep 27, 2026
Key learnings
  • Change is scary and hard, but leaning into it and letting go of old responsibilities is still the best way to grow, even as the…
  • Name the emotions change brings, including grief for lost craft; leaders who normalize these feelings help people feel less alone…
  • Treat AI like a lazy junior intern: give it context, review its output, and never ship its work unchecked, since accountability…
The Looking Glass · Julie Zhuo♥ 40

What will make personal AI go big?

Sep 24, 2026
Subscriber post — summary only

Julie Zhuo reflects on Muse, a consumer AI agent she believes could actually change people's everyday habits. The essay, which is paywalled, argues that a few specific design choices explain why personal AI might…

@lennysan · Lenny Rachitsky on X♥ 59
“If we truly believe that AI is changing how we work, then ICs should get paid more than managers, because an IC can drive more impact than a manager could in the pre-AI system.” — @ElenaVerna

02 — FrameworksModels, annotated.

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03 — PeopleWho wrote the notes.

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04 — QuestionsAnswered from the notes.

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Where notes come from

NewsletterLenny’s Newsletter110 free posts, with a longer excerpt.
Subscriber postsSummary only233 paid posts: our summary, at most two short quotes, and a link.
PodcastLenny’s Podcast323 episodes, each with 5–8 key learnings and timestamps.
EssaysSVPG · The Beautiful Mess499 essays from Marty Cagan and John Cutler.
Substack & blogsShreyas · Julie · Jason · Hiten577 essays and posts from independent writers.
XPosts on product66 posts, filtered for product relevance.