In this episode, Melissa Perri discusses the common dilemma faced by product managers: whether to prioritize large, high-risk features or focus on delivering smaller, incremental updates. She delves into the considerations that should guide this decision, including the value to users, stakeholder goals, and the need for experimentation and risk management. Melissa shares insights on how to approach these decisions strategically to ensure both customer satisfaction and business success.Are you grappling with how to balance big projects against smaller, faster releases in your product strategy? Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights from Melissa on making the right choices for your product and organization.You’ll hear us talk about:02:29 - The Value of Incremental ReleasesMelissa discusses the benefits of releasing smaller features incrementally, highlighting how they can provide immediate user value and inform future development decisions through feedback.04:13 - Managing Risk in Long-Term ProjectsHere, Melissa emphasizes the importance of de-risking multi-month projects with phased releases and feature flags, ensuring that stakeholders and users are aligned and informed throughout the process.05:01 - Balancing Stakeholder and User NeedsMelissa explores the tension between meeting stakeholder goals and delivering user value, offering strategies for product managers to align these often competing priorities effectively.Episode resources:Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/
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Episode 255: How Shopify Is Leveraging AI at Scale with Vanessa Lee
Join us in this episode as Melissa Perri sits down with Vanessa Lee, VP of Product at Shopify, to explore the groundbreaking work being done in AI integration and agentic commerce. Vanessa sheds light on Shopify's AI assistant, Sidekick, which aims to revolutionize how merchants manage and grow their businesses.Discover how Shopify is pushing the boundaries of e-commerce with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to empowering entrepreneurs.Through engaging anecdotes and insights, Vanessa shares how Sidekick is not just a tool but a strategic partner for merchants, helping them navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. We delve into the collaboration with OpenAI and how Shopify is leveraging AI to create seamless, innovative shopping experiences.Want to understand how AI can transform product management and e-commerce? Tune in to this episode for an enlightening conversation that explores the future of commerce and the evolving role of product managers.You’ll hear us talk about:05:19 - Shopify's Agentic AI AssistantVanessa explains how Sidekick, Shopify's AI assistant, was designed to be a co-pilot for merchants, proactively assisting with tasks like product creation and payment setup to help entrepreneurs succeed in their journey.36:38 - Partnership with OpenAIDiscover how Shopify partnered with OpenAI to integrate commerce functionalities into ChatGPT, making merchants' products discoverable and enabling direct checkouts within the AI platform.22:34 - Practical Advice for PMs Working with AIVanessa offers valuable advice for product managers looking to enhance their skills in generative AI and LLMs, emphasizing the importance of creativity and experimentation in developing innovative AI applications.Episode resources:Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vlaurenlee/Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/
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Episode 254: Pushing Back on Unsustainable Workloads
Join Melissa Perri in this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast as she tackles the complex issue of managing an overwhelming workload as a product manager. A senior product manager shares their struggle of handling five engineering teams, a task typically assigned to multiple product managers. Melissa offers practical advice on how to communicate with leadership, prioritize effectively, and implement systems to manage scope.If you've ever faced the challenge of balancing broad strategic oversight with detailed management, this episode is a must-listen. Melissa's insights will help you understand how to align your team's work with company goals while maintaining quality and focus.You’ll hear us talk about:03:36 - The Classic Project Management Trade-OffMelissa discusses the well-known project management saying about scope, quality, and speed, explaining how product managers must often choose between these competing priorities.04:44 - Proposing Solutions to Manage WorkloadMelissa provides a framework for presenting options to leadership, including hiring additional product managers and weighing the opportunity costs of current workloads.07:40 - Building Internal Systems for Workload ManagementMelissa advises on creating internal systems to distribute work, allowing development leads to step into prioritization roles, thus enabling a more balanced workload distribution.Tune in to gain actionable strategies and ensure your product management approach aligns with your organization's strategic goals.Episode resources:Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/
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Episode 253: Intelligent Friction in Digital Banking with Tony Brancato
Tony Brancato, Chief Product Officer at Charlie Financial, joins Melissa Perri on the Product Thinking Podcast to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in developing financial products for older Americans. With a focus on security and user-friendliness, Tony shares how Charlie Financial is reimagining banking for the senior demographic, often overlooked by tech innovations.The conversation reveals insights into building trust with users, the role of intelligent friction in product design, and the importance of understanding user needs in product development.Want to know how to create impactful financial products that cater to the senior market? Listen to the full episode with Tony Brancato to discover how empathy, security, and strategic product decisions are shaping the future of digital banking for older adults.You’ll hear us talk about:07:15 - Understanding Different User Needs Across AgesTony explains the distinct differences between 62-year-olds and 75-year-olds when it comes to digital banking needs and preferences, highlighting how product features must be tailored accordingly to meet diverse expectations.12:59 - Designing Intelligent Friction to Prevent FraudDiscover how Charlie Financial's Fraud Shield introduces strategic friction to secure transactions and empower users to prevent fraud, offering peace of mind and control over their financial activities.23:12 - Measuring Success Beyond App UsageTony discusses how Charlie Financial measures success not just by app engagement, but by the financial health and security of its customers, emphasizing the educational aspect of their services to help users recognize and prevent scams.Episode resources:Charlie Financial: https://www.charlie.com/Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonybrancato/Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/Timestamps:00:00 Tony’s Journey to Charlie Financial07:06 Feature Design and User Research for Seniors12:57 Tackling Fraud With Empathy and Innovation20:50 Accessibility and Simplification Strategies30:18 Surprises, Trust, and Social Media Vulnerabilities34:15 Fraud Trends, AI, and Closing Thoughts
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Episode 252: Understanding Product vs Project Management
In this episode, Melissa Perri dives into the often-confused realms of product management and project management. Many people conflate these roles, but they serve distinct purposes and bring different values to an organization. Melissa unpacks the unique responsibilities and skills required for each role and discusses how they can effectively complement each other to drive product success.Whether you're a seasoned product leader or new to the field, this conversation will provide clarity and actionable insights on how to align these functions within your teams.If you're eager to distinguish between product and project management, and to learn how these roles can work in harmony to propel your product initiatives forward, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to hear Melissa's expert advice and start applying these insights to your own product strategies today.You’ll hear us talk about:01:19 - Differentiating Product and Project ManagementMelissa clarifies the core differences between product and project management, emphasizing the importance of focusing on value creation and timelines.02:43 - The Role of Agile in Product DevelopmentA discussion on how Agile practices have transformed traditional project management roles and why product managers often take on project tasks in smaller teams.04:04 - Leveraging Roles for Product SuccessInsights into how larger organizations can benefit from dedicated project managers and the value they add in coordinating across multiple products and teams.Episode resources:Check out Angel Squad: https://go.angelsquad.co/melissaCheck our courses: https://productinstitute.com/
Successful product management isn’t just about training the product managers who work side by side with developers everyday to build better products. It’s about taking a step back, approaching the systems within organizations as a whole, and leveling up product leadership to improve these systems. This is the Product Thinking Podcast, where Melissa Perri will connect with industry leading experts in the product management space, AND answer your most pressing questions about everything product. Join us each week to level up your skillset and invest in yourself as a product leader.
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