Product Talk · Teresa TorresDec 2, 2015
Dec 2, 2015 · 5 min
“December is one of my favorite times of year. I do my best to reduce my client load so I can spend about 50% of my time looking back on the past year and looking forward to the next year. I assess how the year went asking, what went well,”
Lenny’s Podcast107 min
Luc Levesque · Jun 15, 2023
Key learnings- Focus relentlessly on impact over activity: measure outcomes against the north-star metric rather than hours worked or work…
- Hire the top 1% by looking for repeated 'signs of excellence' in a candidate's history, such as multiple standout achievements…
- Recruit with the whole executive team and involve the candidate's spouse or family, since changing companies is a family…
Lenny’s Newsletter · Free post♥ 50
Jun 14, 2019 · 9 min
Lenny Rachitsky argues that three core Buddhist teachings (dukkha, impermanence, and non-self) map well onto product management work. He explains that dissatisfaction is a built-in feature of human psychology, so PMs…
SVPG · Marty CaganApr 12, 2016
Apr 12, 2016 · 3 min
Marty Cagan reflects on witnessing gender-based bias early in his career and argues that avoiding discrimination is not enough; leaders must actively work to counter the lingering effects of past inequities. He focuses…
Lenny’s Podcast91 min
Judd Antin · Jan 4, 2024
Key learnings- Much research sits in a 'middle range' of questions that are interesting but rarely drive business decisions; push for macro…
- Integrate researchers from the beginning of product processes rather than calling them in at the end as a service function; their…
- Watch for 'user-centered performance': late-stage requests to validate assumptions or check boxes that signal customer obsession…
SVPG · Marty CaganSep 28, 2006
Sep 28, 2006 · 5 min
Marty Cagan argues that many product managers, especially in larger companies, get trapped in 'meeting hell': they work constantly yet fail to make progress on the things that matter most. He notes the causes include…
Lenny’s Podcast93 min
Ken Norton · Jul 24, 2022
Key learnings- Executive coaching is a partnership where the client defines success; the coach brings listening, curiosity, and challenge rather…
- Advice often delivers a short-lived boost, like cotton candy; lasting growth usually requires confronting the underlying problem…
- Leadership shifts are largely internal: reframing your operating system matters as much as learning new frameworks once you reach…
SVPG · Marty CaganSep 25, 2026
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…
Lenny’s Newsletter♥ 578
Feb 3, 2026 · 34 min
Subscriber post — summary onlyTal and Aman argue that the fastest way to build intuition for AI products is to use coding agents like Cursor for non-technical product work rather than consumer chat tools. The post walks readers through setup, model…
Lenny’s Podcast86 min
Annie Pearl · Feb 26, 2023
Key learnings- When sharing a scheduling link, first invite the other person to share their availability, and paste your open times directly…
- Break into product via internal transfer: show curiosity, help with product work on the side, and build relationships with PMs…
- Start from a clear product strategy that defines where you play and where you don't, including the markets, segments, and…
Lenny’s Podcast143 min
Tristan de Montebello · Oct 13, 2024
Key learnings- Treat speaking as a meta skill: improving it tends to lift confidence and results across work, relationships and daily life.
- Use enjoyment as a barometer; if practice or speaking feels unpleasant, you are probably overthinking or doing it wrong.
- Focus on root causes like pressure and self-trust rather than surface symptoms such as filler words or rushing.
Lenny’s Podcast124 min
Jake Knapp + John Zeratsky · Feb 11, 2024
Key learnings- Start each day by choosing a highlight: imagine the day is over and decide what you'd want to call the highlight, then protect a…
- Don't rely on willpower; change your environment by logging out of apps, deleting infinity-pool apps from your phone, or adding…
- Use your calendar as a design tool by blocking focus time, meals, exercise, and personal priorities, then adjust the template…
HEY World · Jason FriedJun 4, 2025
Jun 4, 2025
Jason Fried argues that the common hiring requirement of 'years of experience' is a weak signal, since time spent doing something doesn't guarantee anything was actually produced or learned. He proposes evaluating…
Lenny’s Newsletter · Free post♥ 16
Oct 1, 2019 · 8 min
Lenny Rachitsky's weekly Q&A newsletter tackles three practical questions: how a startup founder can tell they are approaching product/market fit, what matters most when interviewing for a Director of PM role, and…
Lenny’s Podcast92 min
Petra Wille · Nov 27, 2022
Key learnings- Define what a good product person looks like in your specific context, since many leaders only hold this as an implicit feeling…
- Start coaching with a development plan for each PM, even before a formal assessment, because most people already know what they…
- Identify the next bigger challenge for each direct report each quarter and deliberately assign it to help them grow faster.
Product Talk · Teresa TorresJan 10, 2024
Jan 10, 2024 · 7 min
Teresa Torres opens 2024 by departing from her usual annual plan, explaining that a sabbatical-style 2023 was derailed by her husband's surgery and a difficult platform migration, leaving her facing burnout. Rather than…
Lenny’s Newsletter♥ 64
Feb 21, 2023 · 7 min
Subscriber post — summary onlyLenny Rachitsky answers a reader worried about layoffs by compiling advice from people who were recently laid off. The post walks through seven preparation steps, including documenting accomplishments, rebuilding your…
SVPG · Marty CaganNov 30, 2018
Nov 30, 2018 · 5 min
Marty Cagan describes the most common confusions he sees in product teams, drawn from a dinner conversation with product leaders who recognized the same patterns. He argues that product teams should discover solutions…
Lenny’s Podcast119 min
Sriram and Aarthi · Mar 12, 2023
Key learnings- Meet peers across your org for coffee with no agenda, asking about their work and who else to meet; two coffees a week compounds…
- Follow up after good first meetings and check in every six months or so; most people never follow through, which wastes the…
- Put your work out publicly (threads, posts, talks, GitHub, video); it acts as a signal that attracts serendipitous opportunities…
Lenny’s Newsletter♥ 240
May 6, 2025 · 28 min
Subscriber post — summary onlyA guest-authored paid guide from a full-time executive negotiation coach who presents GAINS, a five-step framework (Gather, Align, Influence, Navigate, Secure) for negotiating senior compensation. The core argument is…
Lenny’s Podcast98 min
Kenneth Berger · May 19, 2024
Key learnings- Treat your complaints as clues: every complaint implies a dream, so reverse it into the better future you actually want.
- Articulate your wants out loud, checking whether the dream is both inspiring and credible rather than embarrassing or unrealistic.
- Hold a high bar for yes: anything short of an enthusiastic 'hell yes' should be treated as a no and explored further.
Lenny’s Podcast112 min
Melissa Perri · Jul 28, 2022
Key learnings- The product owner role came from Scrum as a way to help developers prioritize work, not from product management, so it often…
- Frameworks like SAFe are heavily marketed and often adopted rigidly; Perri has seen most teams that found success end up ripping…
- Teams that already talk to customers and iterate quickly may not need a framework at all; the principle of shipping value and…
Lenny’s Podcast78 min
Jerry Colonna · May 8, 2025
Key learnings- Ask how you have been complicit, not responsible, in creating the conditions you say you don't want; this evokes personal agency…
- Use radical self-inquiry to examine what you claim to want versus what you actually feel, such as saying you dislike busyness…
- Notice whether your drive comes from proving your worth; separate the enjoyment of the work from the need to feel like somebody.
Product Talk · Teresa TorresMar 25, 2015
Mar 25, 2015 · 3 min
Teresa Torres argues that job titles and disciplinary boundaries matter for advancing each craft, since naming skills lets people debate, invest in, and share them. However, she warns that the same labels become harmful…