For the past 5 years, I’ve written about my favorite Product podcasts and it’s that magical time of year again!
While I’m (still) not commuting to Kin Insurance, I’m able to log about 1 hour of podcast listening time on my walks every day.
P.S. I highly recommend walks both as a very effective way to recharge both your brain and your body. Get moving!
Here is this year’s list of my favorites for Product Managers looking to level up in 2022.
Note: There are a few duplicates from 2017–2021, but that’s because they are still great!
Top 10 Podcasts for Product Managers
Honorable Mention: Ted Talks Daily
TED Talks Daily is an honorable mention again this year! I challenge you to think bigger as a Product Manager with TED.
As you progress in your Product career and master the basics, you’ll start considering the role of your product and your company in the global economy.
And every so often, I promise you’ll be inspired by something from a TED talk completely outside of the world of tech and product and you’ll be a better PM for it!
My recommendation: “How to Fix Broken Supply Chains” with Dustin Burk
iTunes Link: Ted Talks Daily
Spotify Link: Ted Talks Daily
10. Product Mastery Now
Product Mastery Now is the longest-running weekly podcast for Product Managers. Andrew Warner (featured in last year’s list) helped the host Chad McAllister start the podcast in 2013.
In an interview format, listeners get actionable tips they can immediately put into practice from a wide variety of Product experts and insiders. They also publish a one-page action guide and detailed notes for each episode.
Go from Product Manager to Product Master with Product Mastery Now!
My recommendation: Experimenting for Product Success (disclosure: this post features me!)
iTunes Link: Product Mastery Now
Spotify Link: Product Mastery Now
9. Inside Intercom
Throughout the pandemic, Intercom has continued to invest heavily in its content marketing and it shows. Their podcast and guests are consistently high quality and highly relevant to the world of today’s Product Manager.
Chances are you’re already using Intercom (or something like it) in your product. See what’s behind the scenes with Inside Intercom!
My recommendation: “Intercom on Product: Speeding Back Up When Momentum Drops”
iTunes Link: Inside Intercom
Spotify Link: Inside Intercom
8. This is Product Management
This is Product Management (TIPM) is truly one of the most content-rich podcasts out there for Product Managers.
Each week, TIPM covers an incredibly important and relevant Product topic. Chances are if you have a Product challenge or a Product question, this podcast has covered it.
Go from Product novice to expert with TIPM!
My Recommendation: “289 — Empathy is Product Management”
iTunes Link: This is Product Management
Spotify Link: This is Product Management
7. Product Love
Do you aspire to create “viable” products or products that your customers and users truly love? I surely hope it’s the latter.
Product Love digs in deep to discover why certain products are so loved (and loveable) with interviews featuring the people and teams who created them.
My Recommendation: “Amir Salihefendić — Founder and CEO of Doist — Asynchronous Work”
iTunes Link: Product Love
Spotify Link: Product Love
6. Rocketship.FM
Rocketship.fm has held their spot on my list this year because they’ve continued to dig into the most trendy parts of Product Management and helped PMs around the world understand what’s real and what’s hype.
The podcast combines real-world stories, killer guests, and helpful trend recaps keeping you on your toes and highly engaged as a listener!
My Recommendation: “Antitrust: Cryptocities”
iTunes Link: Rocketship.FM
Spotify Link: Rocketship.FM
5. How I Built This
Building things is tough.
It’s rarely a straight line from idea → customers → success. Guy Raz has attracted some incredible guests over the years to the “How I Built This” podcast to tell their stories (including all of the ups and downs and near-death experiences!)
Want to learn more about the history behind your favorite startups and companies?
Chances are “How I Built This” has covered them (or will soon). Learn both from these founders’ mistakes and successes and become a better founder or PM yourself.
My recommendation: Coinbase: Brian Armstrong
iTunes Link: How I Built This
Spotify Link: How I Built This
4. People I (Mostly) Admire
It may surprise you that People I (Mostly) Admire, or PIMA for short, is on my list of top podcasts for Product Managers.
However, this Freakonomics Radio Network podcast hosted by Steven Levitt has consistently attracted a level of thinkers I simply don’t see anywhere else. In addition, Levitt’s interviewing style is truly unique.
Levitt isn’t afraid to challenge his guests on opinions he disagrees with and he isn’t afraid to admit in a follow-up episode when he was wrong in one of his assertions.
This hunger for knowledge, healthy debate and radical transparency is largely missing in today’s world and PIMA can hopefully be part of bringing it back. It’s ok to disagree and it’s good to debate if we can do it in a healthy way!
Learn from today’s top thinkers and increase your economic knowledge as a PM with PIMA!
My recommendation: “59. Who Gives the Worst Advice?”
iTunes Link: People I (Mostly) Admire
Spotify Link: People I (Mostly) Admire
3. The Indicator
The Indicator has made the list again this year because the rate and amount of change in the world’s most important indicators have simply been unprecedented.
Learn about different sectors of the economy that you may not have exposure to otherwise and make more informed macro decisions as a PM with The Indicator.
Plus, the episodes are incredibly digestible (they average ~10 minutes) so you can definitely fit it into your schedule!
My Recommendation: “Indicators to Watch in 2022”
iTunes Link: The Indicator
Spotify Link: The Indicator
2. Snacks Daily
If you aren’t listening to Snacks Daily, are you really listening to podcasts? But in all seriousness, Snacks is the fast-paced market and startup podcast you need in your life.
I guarantee you’ll enjoy the entertaining (and hot) takes hosts Nick and Jack have each day for you. In only 15 minutes, you’ll be smarter about what’s happening in the financial and tech world, especially when things are changing so fast!
My recommendation: “Chief Cheerleader Officer”
iTunes Link: Snacks Daily
Spotify Link: Snacks Daily
1. Masters of Scale (and Rapid Response!)
Reid Hoffman (and Bob Safian) can’t be stopped! They top this year’s list again with one of the most important podcasts for Product Managers.
So why is Masters of Scale so important?
Quite simply because Hoffman and Safian combine the highest quality guests with great storytelling and simple takeaways that are applicable to so many types of businesses and startups.
Trust me, that combination is far from simple, but they make it look easy. If you haven’t listened to Masters of Scale yet, download the podcast now and start learning!
My Recommendation: “How to Decarbonize Your Business with John Doerr”
iTunes Link: Masters of Scale
Spotify Link: Masters of Scale
What Did I Miss?
What great podcasts for PMs did I miss this year? Which episodes are your favorites? Let me know on Twitter: Alex Mitchell