Drop Being Perfect and Dive In

Nik Sharma, CEO of Sharma Brands and one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 has a lot to say about visibility. In this episode he joins host, Surbhi Gupta, to discuss how the playbook he has developed for building visibility for big brands can also work for regular people. While Nik isn’t shy he also isn’t hung up on being perfect or creating the perfect content. What he is hung up on is delivering value. He is constantly thinking about how to provide value in the content he posts. Something many product leaders are familiar with! He also believes in putting in the work. Visibility doesn’t happen overnight, it takes effort and commitment but it can pay big dividends. 🎧 Episode Highlights:00:00 Introduction to Visibility02:29 Nick's Background and Expertise03:08 Defining Visibility04:51 Nick's Career Journey06:00 Building Personal Visibility11:42 Overcoming Hesitations and Myths15:58 Celebrating Wins and Company Culture17:58 Leveraging Social Media for Visibility22:40 Persistence and Authenticity in Content Creation24:26 Insights on Podcasting27:03 Professional Setup Tips for Content Creation27:49 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Visibility28:19 Building a Community and Setting Goals30:27 Impact of Small Tweaks on Visibility31:56 Lessons from the Director of Performance Marketing32:35 Visibility Strategies for Tech Professionals34:53 Overcoming Shyness and Building Confidence37:15 The Importance of Showing Up45:26 Crafting and Sharing Your Story48:00 Handling Negative Feedback and Staying Authentic49:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts📚Resources:Ship 30 for 30 Digital Writing Course - https://www.ship30for30.comWrite of Passage - https://writeofpassage.com🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/💫 Where to find Nik On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrniksharma/Website https://www.nik.coOn X @mrsharmaSharma Brands - https://sharmabrands.comNewsletter - https://sharmabrands.com/blogs/newsletter🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

”Visibility is how clearly our work, our impact, our leadership, are being recognized by our teams, our peers, the wider organization and broader community.  it's not about being seen, it's about ensuring that the value you add is acknowledged and understood,” Marily Nika, Ph.DIn this episode Marily joins host, Surbhi Gupta, to discuss how she has built her visibility to include work inside and outside of where she works. Marily has built a reputation as a product leader broadly by educating through courses, books, a substack newsletter and a LinkedIn profile filled with information. Her work is followed by over 124K people on LinkedIn and her courses on Maven have been taken by over 8,000 people. 🎧 Episode Highlights:00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:06 Defining Visibility03:10 Marilee's Journey to Visibility05:22 Building Technical Visibility07:05 Taking Risks and Early Success08:41 Overcoming Shyness and Anxiety09:58 Advice for Women in Tech12:01 The Importance of Networking17:09 Debunking Myths About Visibility20:17 Leveraging LinkedIn for Visibility27:49 Balancing Multiple Roles28:37 Creating and Teaching Courses31:39 Final Advice and EncouragementResources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Marily On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynika/On Substack https://substack.com/@marilynika?On Maven https://maven.com/marily-nika/ai-product-management• 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

Visibility can help leaders be in touch with their audience and deliver value to them. Megh Gautam has been writing and speaking about a range of product and business challenges for years. He has represented his products and the companies that he has worked for while building an authentic brand as a product leader. On this episode, Surbhi Gupta, host of The Visibility Equation and seasoned product leader, talks to Megh about how he has gone about building professional visibility and how it has helped the companies he’s been a part of while staying authentic to who he is.🎧 Episode Highlights:00:00 Introduction and Background02:12 Biggest Career Risk and Lessons Learned03:40 Crunchbase's AI Evolution05:29 Building Professional Visibility08:40 Writing and Consistency in Professional Growth11:58 Personal Branding and Career Insights17:01 Engaging with Audiences and Public Speaking27:54 The Dynamics of Real-Life Presentations30:21 Key Takeaways for Professional Visibility31:48 Balancing Humor and Education39:20 Navigating Introversion in Professional Settings42:36 Leveraging AI for Professional Growth45:35 Recommended Reads and Podcasts48:33 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsResources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Megh On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghbartma/During the conversation Megh mentioned the following resources7 Rules of Power: Surprising--but True--Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career - Professor Jeffrey PfefferCue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV - Emily NussbaumAI And The Future of Work - Podcast with Dan TurchinSmart Venture Podcast with Grace GongThe Economist Podcast• 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

Visibility is a superpower for leaders—but building it authentically can feel challenging. On this episode, Surbhi Gupta, host of The Visibility Equation and seasoned product leader, sits down with Lauren Weinstein, Executive Coach and Founder of Resonate Consulting , to explore how each of us can own our narrative and communicate with expertise and a grounded flow.Lauren shares practical strategies and tactics to speak with expertise and authenticity in every situation. Together, they dive into inspiring stories and the realities of finding your authentic voice.🎧 Episode Highlights:02:53 Journey to Strategic Communication04:31 Pivotal Career Moments06:33 Achieving Flow State10:14 Overcoming High-Stakes Pressure11:43 The Power of Breath Work16:13 Connecting with Your Audience28:51 Storytelling and Effective Communication34:45 Making Communication Concrete and Vivid35:01 The Power of Stories and Examples35:28 Summarizing Effective Communication35:56 The Razorfish Example37:10 Uber Eats Pricing Algorithm37:31 The Importance of Storytelling39:00 Myth-Busting Visibility Strategies41:33 The Role of Authenticity in Networking48:54 The Impact of Positive Thinking50:28 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs01:02:54 Practical Tips for Building Visibility Resources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Lauren On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/weinsteinlauren/Her website - https://www.elevateyourhappiness.us/During the conversation Lauren mentioned the following resourcesThe Happy Secret to Better Work, TED Talk by Shawn AchorThe Charisma Myth, by Olivia Fox CabaneMade To Stick, Chip Heath & Dan HeathMan’s Search For Meaning, Viktor FranklThink Fast Talk Smart (podcast), Matt AbrahamsGive And Take, Adam GrantDon’t Believe Everything You Think, Lauren Weinstein TEDx Talk3 Truths You Need to Hear: The Best Expert Advice to Unlock Your Potential, Mel Robbins Podcast with James Doty• 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

Visibility is a superpower for leaders—but building it authentically can feel challenging. On this episode, Surbhi Gupta, host of The Visibility Equation and seasoned product leader, sits down with Lexy Franklin, CEO & Founder of Sidebar, to explore how leaders can own their narrative, amplify their impact, and connect with their authentic selves.Lexy shares practical strategies on building visibility, overcoming public speaking anxiety, nurturing relationships, and navigating the leadership journey. Together, they dive into inspiring stories, actionable insights, and the realities behind professional growth at leadership levels🎧 Episode Highlights:02:28 Key Skills for Success and Visibility03:26 The Importance of Learning and Mentorship05:16 Embracing Failure as a Path to Success08:17 The Power of Asking for Help18:22 Owning Your Story and Wins27:00 The Necessity of Visibility30:52 Embracing Uncertainty and Positive Energy31:50 The Art of Decision Making36:56 Building Blocks of Visibility42:24 The Power of Books and Personal Growth52:42 Celebrating Success and Leadership53:55 Final Thoughts and Book RecommendationsResources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Lexy On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexyfranklin/During the conversation Lexy mentioned the following booksCrossing the Unknown Sea, David WhyteLet My People Go Surfing, Yvon Chouinard• 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

In this episode, we got some straight talk from Teresa Torres, learning how she incorporates her masters in Learning & Development from Northwestern into her design of product learning experiences. Teresa shares invaluable insights about when blogs and podcasts might be enough for your growth—and when training courses may really be what's needed to take you to the next level. Do you know if you have blind spots? Or are you navigating some unique and tricky contexts where a coach can help? This far-ranging episode explores all these concepts with the founder of Product Talk and author of 'Continuous Discovery Habits'. Teresa discusses the fundamental differences between coaching and training and highlights the importance of deliberate practice in skill development. She offers practical advice on advocating for discovery practices within organizations and provides tips for product leaders to enhance their teams' capabilities. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of product development and improve their practice through structured learning.00:00 Introduction to Skill Building and Coaching00:35 Sponsored Segment: SuperInterviews01:26 Welcome01:32 Guest Introduction: Teresa Torres02:36 The Journey from Coaching to Training05:06 Understanding the Difference Between Coaching and Training09:57 The Role of Deliberate Practice in Skill Building14:54 The Importance of Community and Peer Coaching21:57 Understanding Business Outcomes22:23 The Challenge of Opportunity Solution Trees23:22 Effective Discovery Practices24:57 Choosing the Right Trainer or Coach27:29 Reflective Questions for Product Teams32:50 Advocating for Discovery in Organizations36:42 The Role of Product Leadership Coaching40:31 Aligning Sales and Product Teams45:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts📚Resources:Teresa’s website - Product TalkContinuous Discovery Habits✨Where to find Teresa:On LinkedIn💫 Where to find Cassie:On LinkedIn At Cassie Camp - Learn more about product leadership coaching and fractional product leadership🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

In this episode, Cassie welcomes Bosky Mukherjee, the prolific founder of PM Dojo and SheTrailblazes, and a veteran product advisor, leadership coach, and trainer. Bosky discusses her journey into product leadership, the formation of PM Dojo, and her mission to support women in product management. The conversation delves into the nuances of product management training versus coaching, the impact of AI on the industry, and strategies for driving cultural shifts within organizations. Bosky also shares insights on balancing humility with confidence and offers practical advice on leveraging coaching to unlock business potential and personal growth.More about Bosky:Bosky Mukherjee, an executive tech leader with over 22 years of global experience—spanning early-stage startups to high-growth companies like Atlassian.She’s the founder of SheTrailblazes and a powerful force for change in how women succeed, thrive, and rise to the top. Through her flagship program, Leadership Edge, Bosky equips women to lead with strategic visibility and executive communication—fast-tracking their path to promotion, all the way to the C-suite, and when the time is right, into entrepreneurship.Her work isn’t just about career growth. It’s about power, parity, and making sure women aren’t just at the table—but driving the agenda.Bosky is also the founder of PMDojo, where she helps companies build stronger, more strategic innovation teams—equipping product and technology talent to drive bigger business impact and communicate with executive fluency.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:49 Bosky's Journey into Product Leadership01:36 Challenges and Realizations in the Executive Room03:05 Founding PM Dojo and Its Mission04:50 AI in Product Management09:41 Training vs. Product Leadership Coaching11:05 Coaching Styles and Skills Development15:03 Working with Companies and Teams18:56 Driving Cultural Shifts in Organizations23:19 Assigning Dollar Value to Business Transformation23:33 Navigating Product Leadership Challenges24:38 Implementing Small Shifts for Big Changes25:25 Facilitating Business Conversations26:47 Success Stories and Skill Development28:39 Working It Out: Lessons from School30:26 Confidence, Humility, and Curiosity31:55 Hiring a Coach: When and Why34:53 Building Community and Networking38:18 Creative Budget Solutions for Product Teams44:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts📚Resources:✨Where to find Bosky Mukherjee:On LinkedInSheTrailblazesPMDojo💫 Where to find Cassie:On LinkedIn At Cassie Camp - Learn more about product leadership coaching and fractional product leadership🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

Visibility is a superpower for leaders—but building it authentically can feel challenging. On this episode, Surbhi Gupta, host of The Visibility Equation and seasoned product leader, sits down with Lexy Franklin, CEO & Founder of Sidebar, to explore how leaders can own their narrative, amplify their impact, and connect with their authentic selves.Lexy shares practical strategies on building visibility, overcoming public speaking anxiety, nurturing relationships, and navigating the leadership journey. Together, they dive into inspiring stories, actionable insights, and the realities behind professional growth at leadership levels🎧 Episode Highlights:02:28 Key Skills for Success and Visibility03:26 The Importance of Learning and Mentorship05:16 Embracing Failure as a Path to Success08:17 The Power of Asking for Help18:22 Owning Your Story and Wins27:00 The Necessity of Visibility30:52 Embracing Uncertainty and Positive Energy31:50 The Art of Decision Making36:56 Building Blocks of Visibility42:24 The Power of Books and Personal Growth52:42 Celebrating Success and Leadership53:55 Final Thoughts and Book RecommendationsResources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Lexy On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexyfranklin/During the conversation Lexy mentioned the following booksCrossing the Unknown Sea, David WhyteLet My People Go Surfing, Yvon Chouinard• 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

The Visibility Equation is a weekly podcast series that demystifies the art of professional visibility. It is designed to empower ambitious product leaders (and leaders across tech) to own their narratives and amplify their impact. Through in-depth conversations with accomplished leaders in product management, design, and engineering, we'll delve into practical strategies, inspiring stories, and actionable insights to help listeners build visibility without falling into the “humble brag” trap.This episode is a conversation with Shyvee Shi, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft. Shyvee shares her experience at LinkedIn where she built a large and engaged product community of over 100,000 followers and the more focused building of an AI community at Microsoft.  She shares her insight and experience of sharing and building in public, and building spaces for others to share. She touches on how to get started sharing, building visibility inside and outside of your current role, and her passion for learning, sharing with others and supporting people’s learning and growth.In this episode she shares insight 01:58 Taking Risks02:09 Overcoming Cultural Barriers02:49 Career Transition During COVID03:03 Building a Public Presence07:20 Choosing the Right Platforms09:46 Starting the Visibility Journey18:29 Misconceptions About Professional Visibility22:25 Nurturing Relationships and Community27:07 The Myth of Overnight Success27:19 The Modern Approach to Launching27:59 Building and Testing Your Ideas29:09 The Role of a Future of Work Product Builder30:49 Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety32:51 The BRAVE Framework for Public Speaking38:22 Handling Criticism and Negative Feedback44:18 Future Plans and Career Reflections45:40 Advice for Building Professional Visibility50:15 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsResources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Shyvee On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyveeshi/During the conversation Shyvee mentioned a website that she used early in her journey called, Visualize Value, you can find it here - https://visualizevalue.comShyvee also wanted to share a talk from her former VP at Maven on building a personal brand. You can find it here - Lighthouse Lessons on MavenShyvee also shared a deep-dive interview she did with a fellow career coach on how we can leverage AI to communicate better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-To9KdJ9RI8 • 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

The Visibility Equation is a weekly podcast series that demystifies the art of professional visibility. It is designed to empower ambitious product leaders (and leaders across tech) to own their narratives and amplify their impact. Through in-depth conversations with accomplished leaders in product management, design, and engineering, we'll delve into practical strategies, inspiring stories, and actionable insights to help listeners build visibility without falling into the “humble brag” trap.00:00 Introduction to The Visibility Equation01:25 The Importance of Visibility02:59 Surbhi's Personal Journey06:59 Strategies for Building Visibility11:25 Why Visibility Matters Now14:55 About the Interviews18:20 First Episode PreviewResources• 🌟 Where to find Elizabeth:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/• 💫 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 🙋‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/• - Website https://womenpm.org/• - Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/