Product, Explained

In this episode, Jeff and Mike interview Nate Reynolds,  Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of NRG health. We talk about Nate’s power use of Therabody products, striving for better health care, and looking for ways to scale quality care. [1:30] Nate’s a ProdEx super fan - we talk about the serendipity of his favorite episode (MyQ) coinciding with him moving into his new house. [3:30] We talk about incorporating products we’ve reviewed on the show to help him run his business more productively and transforming care for his patients. [5:00] How Nate went from playing college baseball to starting his own business, NRG Health. [7:00] Nate took the literal last test for his PT specialization before the world shut down on March 13th, 2020. Jeff & Mike also share their pain of taking the GMAT [9:00] Inspiration of starting a business - being furloughed for 2 months right after graduating. “What can I do to work for myself?” and create better healthcare for patients. All while helping PT scale better. [13:00] We talk about Nate’s expertise as a PT and also on his use of Therabody products. [14:00] We walk through the science behind percussive massage guns like the Theragun, along with other products like Therabody’s leg sleeves to help reduce recovery time for fatigued legs. [20:00] Therabody’s history of innovation and continuous  improvement to new products like their Theraface. It’s not only great for end customers, but also for Physical Therapists to help them extend the life of their own careers by reducing strain in caring for patients. [27:00] Nate takes over the Therabody review (including guessing Mike and Jeff scores!) [30:00] Rapid Fire Questions: Worst Product (Ultrasound for PT) Best Product (Chiro Lux Table). Nate’s Billboard: Don’t be an Asshole. [39:00] You can check out Nate’s company on social media: @nrg.health.

In this episode, Jeff and Mike interview Elijah Woolery, Senior Director of Design Education at InVision. InVision is “the online whiteboard and productivity platform powering the future of work.” We talk about Eli’s work on the Design Better Podcast, his mission to elevate design, and how you should always Assume Good Intent.  [1:30] We discuss what led to Eli’s post-college adventures as a scientific research diver in Bermuda and surveying everything from corals to fish.  [5:00] Iterating designs quickly in the machine shop and knowing what you’re strengths are. [8:00] We talk about Eli’s work as a lecturer at Stanford teaching 216B and 216C (Product Design) and the transition from focusing on hardware to software. (it’s still eating the world…) [10:30] The beauty of being fresh out college & designing with optimism. We hear about some of the recent projects from his class, like Tangible. https://www.tangible.team/ based on the idea of how can we connect people over distance? [12:30] Sequel - https://www.trysequel.com; started by two female athletes that realized there was a need for more protective and more absorbent tampon for athletes.   [13:00] Some key design principles that everyone should know are summarized in a book that Eli wrote: https://www.designbetter.co/design-thinking. Some other key traits include curiosity, writing, and empathy. [18:00] What InVision is, Eli’s journey and work at InVision to elevate design. We also hear about the last 5 to 6 years of screen design tools and how this shaped out. [23:00] How it’s more and more important for design-adjacent roles (i.e. Product Managers) to understand and be exposed to Design.  [27:00] Eli’s work on The Design Better Podcast https://www.designbetter.co/podcast  [33:00] We discuss the fallout from recent tech layoffs and how we need to make sure we continue to be empathetic and kind to our coworkers.  [37:00] Rapid Fire Questions: Worst Product (Dog barking!) Best Product (Leica Camera!). Eli’s Billboard: Assume Good Intent.  [39:00] You can check out the Design Better podcast at design better dot co and find Eli on social media: @ewoolery

In this episode, Jeff and Mike interview Maximillian Piras, a Product Designer with Headliner Video. Headliner is a video creation tool designed for audio creators, making audio easily shareable across the web by automatically transforming audio clips, like this, into engaging videos. At Headliner, Max leads cross-platform UI & UX. We talk about the importance of side projects, truly listening to your customers, and some of the latest podcasting/social trends [1:20] Max talks about escaping the day job & starting a side project, Lost Cat, that ended up being sold in the New Museum in NYC. We also covered the hard decision to wrap up a project and keep maximizing career learnings (and fun!) [6:30] Mental model for this group indexes high on side projects. “Productive Chilling” - it’s addictive to get things going & explore the things you’re not able to do during the work week. But, it begs the question - when are there too many irons in the fire? [9:00] Wanting to be a director as a kid that planted the seed for Max to work on Movie Posters. We talk about Max’s love of films, drawing inspiration from Saul Bass, and the formulaic nature of movie posters. [12:30] Mike & Jeff are stoked to finally chat with someone from Headliner Video - it’s a tool that we use on the Product Explained show every Monday when we launch our videos. We hear more details from the inside and today’s current gap in the internet for optimizing for audio. [15:30] Being scrappy, building from the ground up, and how Headliner differentiates Product & Design. [18:00] How Headliner got started - and the classic pivot which lead to exploring social video. Eventually leaning in to customers that love your tool (podcasters in this case!) [24:00] Max’s mental model for picking out trends & doing the right research for the right customers. For example, podcasters using short-form video content that is the hook for audio-only content. Mike & Jeff found Headliner to help automate their social content [28:00] Rapid fire questions & rounding out the interview! We talk about Apple Podcasts, Figma, and the book recommendation of “Thinking in Bets” (Optimize for process, not outcomes). [34:00] You can find more about Headliner at: headliner.app and find Max on social media: @maximillian.nyc

In this episode, Jeff and Mike interview Victoria Young Idol, the COO and co-founder of Outpace. Outpace is a platform designed “to provide success as a service by enabling coaches and creators to share what they know and help others level up.” We talk about experimenting, how Outpace got started, and how Victoria leverages lessons from previous go-to-market tech experiences to grow from zero to one. [1:20] Victoria’s 2016 TEDx talk and mini-life experiments. From 100% chocolate diets to moving from Hawaii to North Carolina to New York during the pandemic. [3:30] A recap of soaking in that aloha spirit when living in Hawaii & Victoria recommending the Big Island life. [5:00] What Victoria’s founder journey look like; from her high school days selling things on eBay to joining a venture studio before co-founding Outpace. We also cover the importance of finding not just product market-fit, but founder-cofounder fit. [8:00] What is a venture studio? Raising a bunch of money to experiment on a bunch of ideas to find product market fit through rapid iteration. Victoria stresses the importance of focus. [10:00] Customers, Clarity, & Team. The importance of staying close to customers as a leader. Even if it’s tedious at times, it’s important to not get distracted from the main goals of your venture. In that same vein, there’s no room to be inefficient and you need to have clarity to run your company. [12:30] Building Outpace to help people achieve their goals faster through personalized, high-impact coaching programs. [16:30] Outpace’s origin story: looking for parallels across verticals that came together for the idea of Outpace. [20:00] Going beyond mentorship to find sponsors. Who are the folks that can actively lift you up? [22:00] Bringing lessons learned from leading GTM at Uber with UberPool to growing her own business (from zero to one). [23:00] The lightbulb moments that happen when you talk directly to your customers to uncover product-market fit. Quantifying coachability & commitment to growth as an indicator for success. [25:00] The biggest challenges facing Outpace - from adapting to hybrid work models to helping customers overcome burnout. It’s no small task. [29:30] Rapid fire questions & rounding out the interview! Don’t wait for someone to help you invest in yourself and take control of your own success. [34:00] You can find more about Outpace at: Outpace.co and find Victoria on social media: @victoriayoungidol

In this mega-recap episode, Jeff and Mike summarize all 110 of the Product, Explained episodes & set the groundwork for Season 2 - Product, Explained - Expert Edition. Episode 111: Product, Explained - The S1 Recap [0:40] Avatar or Airbender or James Cameron? [3:30] Rapid Fire Metrics! Jeff guesses the top three listened-to episodes. (Air Table, Figma, & Theranos). [5:00] Apparently putting Elizabeth Holmes’ Face on social posts is podcast marketing that works. [6:45] Rapid Fire Metrics Pt. II! Jeff guesses the average Mike & Jeff scores. Jeff’s favorite product is a total surprise. Mike’s favorites aren’t a surprised: sustainability-related products. [10:30] Metrics Pt. III! Jeff and Mike talk about our intentions behind episode length. [13:00] The tables turn and Jeff asks and answers questions about our equipment, from hardware, software, to our processes. We record individually via Audacity and then edit the files in Descript (our no-no word is “TYPO”). We post via pinecast’s platform and then use Headliner to create social media posts. Google Docs is our guiding platform that we color code for who says what. Mike & Jeff are both using Shure studio monitors. [19:30] Jeff & Mike talk about our favorite Season 1 product themes: two-sided marketplaces, productivity tools, and new pricing models. We also touch on our favorite podcasts (h/t to Cover1 Buffalo Bills podcast) that we listen to and draw attention to (The Tim Ferriss Show; Pivot with Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway) [27:15] Things we were most wrong about! And Mike becoming a BeReal addict. [39:00] General Disappointments, like AirBnB and Snapchat. Sometimes timing is everything as well. [41:20] Favorite Episodes, Least Favorite, Most Memorable Episodes. [end] Season 2 is coming soon ! Let us know who you’d like to hear us interview on the podcast!

In this episode about Wren, Jeff and Mike talk about the size of a ton of carbon dioxide, climate anxiety, and how you can start making a difference today. Episode 110: Wren, Explained [00:40] Mike’s passion and sustainability filibuster [1:30] MIT Technology Review - What is a ton of carbon dioxide? Hint - it’s a cube full of telephone poles that weighs as much as a great white shark. [4:00] The IPCC, avoiding 1.5 degrees celsius warming, and how carbon dioxide/greenhouse gas emissions overfilling the earth’s atmosphere are analogous to a bathtub overflowing with water. [5:00] Carbon Mitigation vs. Carbon Removal vs. Carbon Capture. Also - what do we do with all of this carbon that we capture? [6:45] What is Wren? Hint: your “All in One Climate Subscription” [7:30] What’s the average carbon footprint in the US? Wren’s carbon footprint calculator. [8:15] How do you choose how much carbon to offset? What about changing your behaviors like eating less meat or driving less? [10:30] Not all carbon credits are made equal; for example forest preservation to carbon removal efforts like Climeworks. John Oliver’s expose on the pitfalls behind Carbon Capture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p8zAbFKpW0 [13:00] Scientific American published a study that in general, the more you earn - the higher your individual carbon footprint [14:00] What’s the benefit for customers for paying for a service like this? For customers like Mike, they’re deeply passionate about this space, much of the benefit is realized in feeling like you’re ‘doing your part’ vs. the Tragedy of the commons problem. [16:30] What will it take for real changes to occur? [19:30] What is Wren’s business model? Wren indexes highly on transparency and brings a portfolio approach to your subscription dollars. [22:00] Some of Wren’s portfolio projects include Biochar in California, Mineral weathering in Scotland, and tech enabled rainforest protection. [24:00] The History of Wren - and how the team was initially focused on HR software before heading to Y Combinator [27:15] Wren’s target customers are likely climate conscious people that want to spend money to see climate action implemented. Also Climate Anxiety is real. [30:00] Other competitors in the space are great - like Zopeful, but no climate solution is a bad solution - we need all hands on deck. [31:20] ProdEx scores: Mike 4.9 stars and Jeff 4.3 out of 5; if you’re interested in Wren - check out www.wren.co/join/mikealcazaren to get your first month free. [32:30] Season 2 is coming next year! Let us know who you’d like to hear us interview on the podcast!

In this episode about Dscout, Jeff and Mike talk about male body shaving, market research in pop culture like Mad Men, and getting paid to be a research participant. Episode 109: Dscout, Explained [00:20] Researching baby strollers and Instagram ads [01:40] Mike’s first Boston job typing up market research results for male bodying shaving [03:20] What is Dscout? (hint: two-sided marketplace for market research) [05:10] Dscout’s recruit tool and fine-tuning your target audience. Is your mom really a good candidate? [06:52] Jeff’s experience using Dscout & being a ‘baseball card’ researchers can choose from [09:30] Dscout’s business model - taking a small percentage from transactions, and different tiers for different customer needs [11:30] History of Dscout & the debate of the century: Is Chicago a burgeoning tech hub? Or is it just a market research hub? [14:30] h/t to Dscout’s Product Marketing team - ProdEx loves seeing easy to read/share/understand case studies from real customers. [15:30] Who is Dscout for? Mad Men and the genesis of Market Research [17:15] Dscout competitors, Mike & Jeff’s experience in their day jobs looking for customer insights via market research [22:20] ProdEx scores: Mike 4 stars and Jeff 4.6 out of 5 - a new Jeff high!!! [23:30] Season 2 is coming next year! Let us know who you’d like to hear us interview on the podcast!

In this episode about BeReal, Jeff and Mike talk about bringing back MySpace features, Casey Neistat’s Beme experiment, and Gen Z’s future social media platforms. Episode 108: BeReal, Explained [01:20] BeReal is french - so how do actually pronounce the name? [02:15] What is BeReal (hint: daily un-curated photos!) [03:41] Mike’s first share is of us podcasting! [04:32] BeReal’s business model (hint: it’s eyeballs!) and how US advertising is close to a zero-sum game [06:59] YouTuber Casey Neistat’s Beme social media experiment and Mike’s fanboying of Casey [10:00] The History of BeReal and staying power compared to ClubHouse [14:30] Trends in gen z, is there an anti-aesthetic for Social Media? H/T to @buffalobills social media [15:30] Who is BeReal for - rejecting perfection, and chasing the high for perfect lighting, 100s of photos, and ‘influencer’ culture. Plus the mental health toll. [16:40] The Q4 2022 fall of social media market caps and how @homedepot is now more valuable (or similarly valued) as Meta/Facebook [18:20] What will be Gen Z’s social media platform of choice? [21:30] Mike pressuring his parents to buy nerf guns [23:20] ProdEx scores: Mike 3.8 stars and Jeff 3.95 out of 5 [25:30] Season 2 is coming next year! Let us know who you’d like to hear us interview on the podcast!

In this episode about Tile, Jeff and Mike talk about losing credit cards, Bluetooth’s connection to a Nordic King, and Amazon’s just walk out technology. Episode 107: Tile, Explained [00:45] The weird things Jeff & Mike lost, and why it sucks to lose a credit card [1:05] What is tile? And how do you not lose things ever again, even that pesky remote in your couch [3:30] QR codes with the COVID come back and Alaska Railroad checking luggage [5:00] Quick tangent on Bluetooth and how Bluetooth got it’s name from a long lost Nordic king [6:30] What is Tile’s business model (hint: it’s widgets!)? Who do they partner with (hint: Big companies like HP!) [10:40] The history of Tile, IPA or IPX?, and the Life 360 acquisition [13:40] Casey Neistat and the stolen car - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l30V426-_S4 [15:00] Who is Tile for? And the book “Trillions” [17:00] What is Maytag trying to charge me a subscription? [21:00] Amazon Go - Just Walk out technology (it feels like you’re stealing!?) [24:00] Tile’s competition and Mike & Jeff scores: 3.7 out of 5 for both

In this episode about Gumroad, Jeff and Mike talk about learning ukulele, the growing creator economy, and reflections from a start-up founder. [00:45] What is Gumroad and how does it work? Gumroad "makes it easy to earn your first dollar online by selling digital products, memberships and more" [2:16] Ukulele courses and Fix This Build That [5:33] Is Gumroad a potential acquisition target or feature copy for the Chief Twit, Elon Musk, at Twitter? [6:50] How Gumroad makes money with simple fees to creators [10:30] History of Gumroad [14:02] Who is Gumroad for? [15:34] Jess Encamp, Parks & Rec, and Jonny Karate [17:00] Gumroad’s competitors [18:00] Mike and Jeff Scores, 4.05 and 4.1 out of 5, respectively and @shl’s “Reflecting on my failure to build a billion dollar company