Shows
Unsolicited FeedbackAI Data Wars & Claude's Growth Loops: Who Owns the Fuel & Wins the Race?AI’s crown jewels, you data, is under siege. Lawsuits, API throttles, and Cloudflare’s “default-off” move have publishers slamming the gate while AI titans keep battering it down. Brian Balfour (Reforge) and Fareed Mosavat break down who’s suing whom, why API chokeholds matter, and how these defense moves could hand even more power to the Googles and OpenAIs of the world.
We then tackle Anthropic’s latest launch: Claude “artifacts.” These bite-sized AI mini-apps piggyback on the user’s own API quota, and spin up self-fueling growth loops to build a unique growth model. We u...2025-07-1538 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAI's Distribution Shift: The Land Grab Ahead - Unsolicited Feedback S3E8Get ready for a crash course for you in the next great distribution shift. In this episode, Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat pull back the curtain on why AI’s real battleground isn’t the tech itself—it’s the fight to be the next distribution platform. Fareed and Brian dissect the playbooks and cycles that crowned Facebook, Google, Apple and LinkedIn as the winners of their categories and turned them from open platforms into toll booths. The key part is who is going to be next, and what you need to know to play the game.
2025-06-2743 min
Unsolicited FeedbackOpenAI’s Land Grab: Are Moats Dead? How Startups Can Still Differentiate - Unsolicited Feedback S3E7The AI Wild West just got wilder — and we’re riding straight into the melee.In this episode, Brian Balfour, Fareed Mosavat, and special guest Aaron White crack open the three questions every builder is secretly sweating right now:
Can you actually differentiate when every launch feels like a land-grab?
Is “move fast” still an edge — or just table-stakes?
What happens when OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic hoover up all the context you thought was your moat?
Expect hot takes on speed-as-a-moat, why Apple’s “slow and perfect” playbook suddenly looks brittle, and how vertical-niche founders can still carve out 10-to-100×...2025-06-1052 min
Unsolicited FeedbackRipple Effects: Google’s AI Mode & the New-Grad Hiring Crash - Unsolicited Feedback S3E6Last week we talked about Everyone-versus-Everyone. That hasn’t stopped. Before we could edit and publish the last episode, Google unleashed a “do-everything” AI bundle. Last week we talked about when everyone ships everything at once, how do you find the whitespace? This week we continue to discuss two more tectonic shifts:
1. The Great SEO Trade-Off ➜ The AI Answer Engine - Google’s new AI-mode could nuke the blue-link economy that’s powered the internet for 20+ years. If LLMs hoard the traffic, who keeps creating the content they need to stay smart? Expect hot takes on long-tail extinction, “answer-engine optimization,”...2025-06-0340 min
Unsolicited FeedbackIt's Everyone vs. Everyone: Navigating the New Strategic Arena - Unsolicited Feedback S3E5In the last 30 days, Notion fired off three products, Figma morphed into a mini-Adobe, OpenAI gobbled Windsurf, and Loom, Atlassian, Anthropic, Cursor, and Granola pointed their AI cannons straight at one another. Welcome to ludicrous speed—a market where every launch feels like a direct hit on your roadmap and “competitive landscape” now means everyone vs. everyone. In this episode Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat are joined by Ravi Mehta to talk about The Great Bundle Brawl, Granola's Escape Hatch, The AI Flywheel, and more.2025-05-2146 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAI Memo Manifestos: Turning Executive Decrees into Product Team Velocity - S3E4 Unsolicited FeedbackThe “AI memo” craze is officially here—and it’s more than executive theater. In this episode, Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat break down how leading CEOs (Shopify, Duolingo, Box, Meta) are using public AI manifestos to jolt their companies into a faster, smarter future—and what product leaders must do next to turn those words into shipping velocity.
What we cover:
- The 5-Layer AI Memo Framework—ownership, expectations, directives, accountability, constraints—so your decree actually drives behavior.
- Experiment → Learn → Share Loops that turn scattered tinkering into org-wide best practices.
- Concrete “forcing-function” constraints (team-size caps, prototype-only reviews, head-count ce...2025-05-0746 min
Unsolicited FeedbackThe Great AI Corporate Divide and the Race for AI ContextIn this episode, Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat dive into the widening gulf between companies embracing AI and those drowning in corporate red tape. While some organizations are rewriting job descriptions and preparing to ax 40-50% of employees who can't adapt, others are taking MONTHS just to process a basic AI tool agreement. Plus: Glean's existential threat as OpenAI and Anthropic invade the enterprise space, why speed trumps perfection in AI coding tools, and OpenAI's curious social media play. The tech landscape is splitting between the innovators and the bureaucracy-bound—and the clock is ticking faster than ever.2025-04-2244 min
Drupal BriefDrupal Brief: Reforge - Product Management In The Age of AISend us a textIn this episode, Brian Balfour, Fareed Mosavat, and Shaun Clowes dive into the evolving landscape of product management as AI reshapes the industry. They explore whether AI could cause a “product market fit collapse” for the PM role, devaluing traditional skills while amplifying the need for strategic action and adaptability.Key discussion points:AI’s Impact on PM Skills: How automation may shift the value of process-driven tasks.The Role’s Evolution: Will product management merge with design or engineering, or shrink altogether?Staying Relevant: Why c...2025-03-1315 min
Unsolicited FeedbackProduct Management In The Age of AI featuring Shaun ClowesIn this episode, Brian and Fareed discuss the challenges facing product managers in the AI era with Shaun Clowes, CPO at Confluent. Many product professionals are questioning their future as traditional PM workflows—documentation, basic prioritization, and coordination—become increasingly automated. Yet this technological shift isn't eliminating the product management function; rather, it's elevating what has always differentiated exceptional PMs from average ones. While low-value processes are being automated away, the core elements that create product success—strategic vision, judgment, taste, and leadership—are becoming dramatically more valuable. 2025-03-0551 min
Unsolicited FeedbackProduct Market Fit Collapse: The AI Tipping Point w/ Casey WintersThe Unsolicited Feedback podcast is back for a season 3. We kicked off episode 1 with Casey Winters going deeper on Product Market Fit Collapse. In this episode we discuss:
Unlike previous tech shifts (mobile, internet), AI is causing exponential rather than linear increases in customer expectations
The speed of both capability advancement and consumer adoption is unprecedented
Competition is coming from all directions simultaneously. Incumbents are heavily invested and moving quickly. New startups are emerging. Foundation model companies are expanding rapidly
Infrastructure and tooling are evolving weekly, making it hard to pick the right stack
...2025-01-2951 min
Unsolicited Feedbackref:AI x Unsolicited Feedback Presents Strategies To Beat The AI S-Curve w/ Andrew ChenAI Innovations & Growth Strategies with Andrew Chen | Unsolicited Feedback LiveThis is a special live episode of Unsolicited Feedback, as part of Reforge's ref:AI conference. Join Fareed Mosavat as he welcomes Andrew Chen from Andreessen Horowitz for an engaging discussion on AI's impact on product growth and innovation. This episode covers the significance of the S curve in technology adoption, the challenges and opportunities arising from rapid AI advancements, and what it means for startups and established companies alike. Andrew shares insights on how to differentiate in a competitive landscape, the evolving role of AI in...2024-06-2753 min
Unsolicited FeedbackReal-Time Feedback: Apple's WWDC 2024 w/ Aaron White & Fareed MosavatReal-Time Feedback: Apple's WWDC 2024 w/ Aaron White & Fareed MosavatIn this Real-Time Feedback Episode, Fareed Mosavat and AI thought-leader Aaron White unpack Apple's strategic moves announced during WWDC, focusing on their approach to AI, their hardware ecosystem, and their long-term vision. We analyze Apple's iterative process, their integration of machine learning and AI, the implications of Apple intelligence, and the unmet potential of the Apple Vision Pro. We also revisited how Apple stacks up against its competitors, contrasting its strategies with those of Google and Microsoft. There's a lot to unpack. We hope you enjoy!2024-06-181h 05
Unsolicited FeedbackThe Future of AI in Marketing, Growth & ContentThe Future of AI in Marketing, Growth & Content: Season 2 Finale (Part 2) w/ Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, Joff Redfern, and Fareed MosavatIn part two of the Unsolicited Feedback Season 2 Finale, Brian Balfour, Joff Redfern, Ravi Mehta, and Fareed Mosavat return to discuss the challenges associated with marketing in the face of declining search trends. They also explore the growing significance of content licensing deals and contemplate the future as AI models become commoditized and our interactions with them (and expectations of them) evolve.Show Notes: Fareed mentioned that Reforge has j...2024-06-0631 min
Unsolicited FeedbackKey Takeaways from H1 2024 (Part 1) w/ Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, Joff Redfern, and Fareed MosavatKey Takeaways from H1 2024: Reflecting on Hardware, Unstructured Data, and the Future of Product ManagementIn the season 2 finale of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' co-hosts Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, and Joff Redfern join Fareed Mosavat to reflect on the most compelling topics of the season. They start with discussions on how trends diverge between hardware and software markets, and the distinctions between luxury and premium products. The episode takes a deep dive into AI's role in revolutionizing unstructured data and its far-reaching effects on product management. Touching on methodology changes, the hosts contemplate how AI might transform the...2024-06-041h 04
Unsolicited FeedbackMicrosoft’s Game-Changing Releases: Is Windows Poised to Dominate the AI Era? w/ Kurt SchraderMicrosoft’s Game-Changing Releases: Is Windows Poised to Dominate the AI Era? w/ Kurt SchraderIn this episode of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' host Fareed Mosavat and guest Kurt Schrader, CEO and founder of Shortcut, dive into Microsoft's latest AI announcements, including the Copilot+ PC initiative and Windows Recall. We explore the potential impact of these innovations on the consumer market and reflect on how Apple should respond at the upcoming WWDC. We also debate the strategic strengths and weaknesses of both tech giants in the evolving AI landscape. Before we dive in, Fareed mentioned in the...2024-05-3045 min
Unsolicited FeedbackSonos' Redesign Debacle: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Product Upgrades w/ Kurt SchraderSonos' Redesign Debacle: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Product Upgrades w/ Kurt SchraderJoin host Fareed Mosavat on 'Unsolicited Feedback' as he delves into the latest Sonos app controversy with guest Kurt Schrader, CEO and founder of Shortcut, a platform that helps product and engineering teams unify to build collaboratively. This episode covers the major issues faced by Sonos power users, strategies for effective feature deprecation, the risks of big product redesigns, and how to manage user feedback and trust. Additionally, the episode touches on strategic pre-mortems, real-world scenarios from Slack and Shortcut, and insights into...2024-05-2846 min
Unsolicited FeedbackEvaluating AI Models, Unlocking Unstructured Data, and Achieving Reliability w/ Ben KusEvaluating AI Models, Unlocking Unstructured Data, and Achieving Reliability w/ Ben KusToday on "Unsolicited Feedback," Fareed Mosavat dives deep into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence with tech expert and Box CTO, Ben Kus. As AI continues to reshape industries, understanding its core mechanisms and potential applications has never been more critical. Ben sheds light on how AI can enhance productivity and decision-making within organizations while also sharing technical strategies he’s implemented to ensure reliability for Box’s enterprise customers.Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons at ➡...2024-05-2352 min
Unsolicited FeedbackBox CTO's Approach to Enterprise AI Tools & Insights from Google and OpenAI's Latest Releases w/ Ben KusBox CTO's Approach to Enterprise AI Tools & Insights from Google and OpenAI's Latest Releases w/ Ben KusIn the latest episode of "Unsolicited Feedback," Fareed Mosavat chats with Ben Kus, CTO of Box, to delve into the dynamic world of AI advancements and their implications for technology companies and users alike. This episode offers rich insights into how multimodal AI is transforming the tech landscape, driven by recent announcements from OpenAI and Google.Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/00...2024-05-2141 min
Unsolicited FeedbackMVPs are Officially Dead: Here's How to Launch and Find Market Fit in 2024 w/ Sachin RekhiMVPs are Officially Dead: Here's How to Launch and Find Market Fit in 2024 w/ Sachin RekhiWelcome back to "Unsolicited Feedback," where Product-Market Fit (PMF) expert, Sachin Rekhi joins Fareed Mosavat to discuss the evolving thinking on Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and their impact on achieving PMF in competitive markets. We discuss Linear, Dropbox, and Airbnb, and reflect on this post by Linear co-founder, Tuomas Artman.Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/00:00 From MVP to Magi...2024-05-1642 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAndrew Chen's Dopamine Culture Post & Its Impact on Product and Marketing Strategy w/ Sachin RekhiThis week on "Unsolicited Feedback," Fareed Mosavat welcomed Sachin Rekhi to explore the shifting landscape of media, focusing on the evolution from traditional, slower media forms to what's increasingly being termed "dopamine culture." We analyze how this change is not only profoundly affecting how we consume content but also how we should build and launch products.Sachin has created multiple Reforge courses, is the founder & CEO of NoteJoy, and the creator of LinkedIn Sales Navigator, a now $1B ARR business. And, he has a new video-native podcast you can watch on YouTube!Check out a...2024-05-1451 min
Unsolicited FeedbackRevolutionizing Productivity: Feedback on Loom, Linear, and Even LaunchDarkly w/ Claire VoRevolutionizing Productivity: Feedback on Loom, Linear, and Even LaunchDarkly w/ Claire VoIn part two of our "Unsolicited Feedback," host Fareed Mosavat and our esteemed guest, Claire Vo (CPO at LaunchDarkly, Founder of ChatPRD), explore significant advancements in AI and collaboration tools, with a spotlight on Loom and Linear's latest innovations. The episode delves into how these tools are not only enhancing productivity but also potentially reshaping communication norms in professional environments.Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 2024-05-0938 min
Unsolicited FeedbackBuilding ChatPRD and 🌶️ Takes on the Future of Product Management in the AI-Era w/ Claire VoBuilding ChatPRD and 🌶️ Takes on the Future of Product Management in the AI-Era w/ Claire VoIn this week’s episode of "Unsolicited Feedback," we're excited to welcome back Claire Vo, CPO of LaunchDarkly and the founder of ChatPRD. As a repeat guest, Claire delves into the intricacies of building her AI tool, ChatPRD, and shares her incisive perspectives on the evolving roles in product management as AI reshapes the industry in 2024 and beyond.Check out a full summary of her hot takes at Unsolicitedfeedback.co!00:00 Introduction02:22 Rethinking the 'No...2024-05-0753 min
Unsolicited FeedbackCritiquing Disney's Strategic Moves & Bundling Choices; Navigating the Future of Streaming w/ Mariah MuscatoCritiquing Disney's Strategic Moves & Bundling Choices; Navigating the Future of StreamingIn this episode of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' host Fareed Mosavat and guest Mariah Muscato, a Director of Product at HubSpot, dive into a detailed discussion about Disney Plus, its bundle strategy, and the broader challenges facing streaming services. They explore Disney's transition from content creation to embracing technology, its battles with activist investors, and strategic decisions against the backdrop of evolving consumer expectations and the competitive landscape of streaming services. The conversation also touches upon the principle of the perfect bundle, Disney's potential...2024-05-0258 min
Unsolicited FeedbackTinder's New Safety Feature Delivers More Than Just Security w/ Mariah MuscatoTinder's New Safety Feature Delivers More Than Just Security to the Legendary Swiping App 🎉In this episode of 'Unsolicited Feedback', host Fareed Mosavat and guest Mariah Moscato (Director of Product, HubSpot) discuss the intricacies of dating apps, with a focus on Tinder's new safety feature, 'Share My Date'. This feature allows users to share their location and date details for safety purposes. They explore how it not only enhances user safety but could open Tinder to new user groups and potentially drive network effects. Mariah shares her personal journey of moving to Dublin, her experiences with dating app...2024-04-3026 min
Unsolicited FeedbackFeedback on Humane, Limitless, and AirChat: Positioning and Strategy Insights w/ Kieran FlanaganFeedback on Humane, Limitless, and AirChat: Positioning and Strategy Insights For Early Stage CompaniesIn Part 2 of our conversation with Kieran Flanagan, CMO behind Zapier & HubSpot, we wanted to get back to our roots with some Unsolicited Feedback on the product launches of Humane AI, Limitless, and AirChat. Along the way, we uncovered a few key lessons for any early stage company navigating the complexities of market entry and product development.If you think we’re wrong about any of this, we hope you’ll tell us on LinkedIn!As always, a full summ...2024-04-2526 min
Unsolicited FeedbackThe New AI Marketing Playbook Amid Google's Stumbles w/ Kieran FlanaganThe New AI Marketing Playbook Amid Google's Stumbles This week on Unsolicited Feedback, Brian Balfour & Fareed Mosavat welcomed Kieran Flanagan, and within 30 seconds of taping, Kieran dropped a 💣 on us! He’s leaving his role as CMO of Zapier and rejoining HubSpot to lead initiatives at the intersection of marketing and AI!Kieran is driven by the opportunity to define the future of marketing in an AI-driven world, and that naturally became our first topic.As Kieran prepares to dive back into HubSpot, Brian mentions that a lot of HubSpot’s success has been acce...2024-04-2357 min
Unsolicited FeedbackProduct Lessons from Netflix's "Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul" with Penelope Talbot-KellyProduct Lessons from Netflix's "Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul" with Penelope Talbot-KellyIn a fascinating episode of our podcast, Penelope Talbot-Kelly & Fareed Mosavat dove deep into the Netflix documentary "Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul."The discussion revealed critical insights that resonate far beyond the e-cigarette industry, touching on fundamental issues relevant to all tech companies.But first, Fareed and Penelope discuss the broader tech landscape, discussing trends such as AI, layoffs, and how these elements influence the current work culture. Penelope shared firsthand experiences and observations about...2024-04-1840 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAnalyzing Google's Rumored HubSpot Buy & The Future of CRMs w/ Penelope Talbot-Kelly & Austin HayUnpacking the Google-HubSpot Acquisition Rumors: Implications for the Future of CRMThis week on "Unsolicited Feedback," host Fareed Mosavat welcomed Penelope Talbot-Kelly, GM of Platform & Services at DoorDash, and Austin Hays, a veteran in CRM and Martech, to discuss the buzzing rumors about Google potentially acquiring HubSpot.Austin previously joined us to chat about HubSpot’s acquisition of Clearbit. Well, he’s back to help us delve deeper into what this new merger could mean for the CRM landscape and digital marketing tools.Join us at Unsolicitedfeedback.co for a full summary! 2024-04-1649 min
Unsolicited FeedbackErik Allebest of Chess.com: Transforming a Niche Business into a Global PhenomenonEver wondered how a game as old as chess could become a global sensation in the digital age? The answer lies in the power of product, growth, and, more recently, AI.In our latest episode of Unsolicited Feedback, Joff Redfern and Fareed Mosavat had an insightful conversation with Erik Allebest, CEO of Chess.com. This episode explores the intersection of technology, human behavior, and ethics in the world of online chess, focusing on how Chess.com leverages AI to revolutionize the game while confronting challenges like cheating and maintaining a fair competitive environment. Insights from the platform's...2024-04-091h 05
Unsolicited FeedbackKipp Bodnar on Marketing Experiments at HubSpot and Harnessing HeyGen to Improve ConversionIn today’s episode of Unsolicited Feedback, Fareed Mosavat, Joff Redfern, and Kipp Bodnar delve into the meteoric rise of Martech tools and the transformative role of AI, with a special focus on the innovative video creation platform, HeyGen. This discussion is very valuable for anyone leading marketing efforts in 2024 and beyond. 🌠The bottom line: We're currently optimizing AI tools to enhance conversion rates, yet we're still waiting for a new distribution channel to emerge. Could this change be on the horizon?Full summary is available at UnsolicitedFeedback.co2024-04-0440 min
Unsolicited FeedbackKipp Bodnar on LinkedIn's Gamification Gambit - Game On or Game Over?LinkedIn Games: A Brilliant Move or a Misstep? 🎮🤔LinkedIn is reportedly working on in-app games, a move that has ignited a wide range of opinions. In our latest episode of Unsolicited Feedback, co-hosts Joff Redfern and Fareed Mosavat, joined by HubSpot CMO Kipp Bodnar, delved into this topic.We’ve shared our thoughts below, and we’d love to hear yours! Tune in next Thursday for more Unsolicited Feedback, where we’ll discuss the growing surge of martech tools.Context: LinkedIn is testing the gamification waters, with companies ranked based on their employees' gaming score...2024-04-0226 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAdam Nash Applies Clay Christensen’s Innovator's Dilemma to Modern FintechIn Part 2, of our Unsolicited Feedback with Adam Nash, CEO of Daffy, co-hosts Joff Redfern & Fareed Mosavat dove deep into the world of fintech, exploring the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.To frame the conversation, Adam looked to the past, revisiting Clay Christensen's Innovator's Dilemma.For a full summary of the episode's takeaways, join us at UnsolicitedFeedback.co.0:00 Introduction & AI's Impact on Fintech17:31 Importance of Understanding Competitors19:40 Adam's Spicy Take28:09 Return to Value Creation36:41 Revisiting Clay Christensen's Innovator's Dilemma41:50...2024-03-2858 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAdam Nash Explores the Art of Process-Strategy Fit at eBay and LinkedIn, with a Side of Diet Coke and LegosAdam Nash Explores the Art of Process-Strategy Fit at eBay and LinkedIn, with a Side of Diet Coke and LegosOn the latest episode of Unsolicited Feedback, hosts Fareed Mosavat and Joff Redfern are joined by the esteemed Adam Nash, CEO and Co-Founder of Daffy, a philanthropic platform championing the concept that everyone should get in the habit of giving back. Adam's illustrious career spans across tech giants like Greylock, Dropbox, LinkedIn, eBay, and Apple, and he's widely recognized for his insightful contributions on his blog, PsychoHistory.Our journey begins with a nostalgic look at...2024-03-2650 min
Unsolicited FeedbackShaun Clowes Analyzes Cognition Labs' Devin & Reddit’s IPOShaun Clowes Analyzes Cognition Labs' Devin & Reddit’s IPOWe are joined by guest co-host Joff Redfern, Fareed Mosavat, and our guest Shaun Clowes. Today, we dive into two major stories: Devin and Reddit.Join us at UnsolicitedFeedback.co for a full summary! Devin: The Future of Programming or Just Another Tool in the Box? 🧰This week, Cognition Labs released a video showcasing it’s AI Coder, Devin. Devin promises to be able to handle complex programming tasks with the autonomy that you’d expect from a human coder. We thought it was wo...2024-03-2052 min
Unsolicited FeedbackShaun Clowes (Confluent, Salesforce) Riffs on Waymo, Legos, and Process AdvancementShaun Clowes Riffs on Waymo, Legos, and Process AdvancementThis week, Fareed welcomed co-host Joff Redfern, Principle at Menlo VC and former CPO at Atlassian and guest Shaun Clowes, CPO at Confluent and former CPO of Mulesoft at Salesforce, CPO @ Metromile, and Head of Growth @ Atlassian.This week’s Deep Dive drops Wednesday and we’re focused on Reddit & Cognition Lab’s Devin, but our riff this week is simply a classic happy hour conversation.Fareed, Joff and Shaun cover a wide range of topics dropping some brilliant nuggets along the way. Enjoy!F...2024-03-1942 min
Unsolicited FeedbackCasey Winters Dives Deep Into Prioritization, Second Product Mishaps, Meta & SquareCasey Winters is back with Fareed Mosavat and our guest co-host, Ravi Mehta. In this episode, we're discussing two recent articles from Casey Accidental, Casey’s product & growth blog. In “Wood Grain Steering Wheels,” Casey writes about a misplaced prioritization pattern he sees time and time again. We delve into these prioritization challenges and explore Meta's impressive history of decisive prioritization. Then, we jump into mishaps with second products - understanding signs of trouble and how to address them. Lastly, we delve into the impact of organizational structure on product expansions, analyzing the reasoni...2024-03-1451 min
Unsolicited FeedbackCasey Winters (Eventbrite, Pinterest) Riffs on Whether Consumer Is Back and What It Means for Product Leaders? 🤔Ravi Mehta teams up with Fareed Mosavat once more. This week, Ravi and Fareed are joined by Casey Winters, former CPO at Eventbrite and growth expert at Pinterest and Grubhub.🔍 The Big Question for Today: Is consumer tech experiencing a resurgence? With the advent of AI, some believe we're on the brink of a consumer tech revolution. But is this really the case?🤷 Is consumer back? Sort of… 🤷The Good News 🎉 People are spending more time online and are more willing than ever to try new products, including paid products. The days of freemium being t...2024-03-1239 min
Unsolicited FeedbackBehzod Sirjani and Ravi Mehta Dive Deep on the EV Market Speed Bump for Apple, Rivian and TeslaApple's car project is dead, Tesla missed earnings, and Rivian's stock is down. So, what's going on here? We deep dive on this very topic with our guest Behzod Sirjani, our guest co-host Ravi Mehta, and of course, the one and only Fareed Mosavat! We discuss Adjacent User Theory, the problem with Early Adopters, the risks of limited SKUs, and why Apple might want to avoid this commodity market. For a full summary of all of the insights from the episode, head to Unsolicitedfeedback.co! 2024-03-0738 min
Unsolicited FeedbackBehzod Sirjani & Ravi Mehta Riff on Leveraging AI to Transform Qualitative Data into Scientific Insights 🧠💡Leveraging AI to Transform Qualitative Data into Scientific Insights 🧠💡Ever wondered how to make sense of the vast amount of qualitative data at your fingertips? We've got you covered! 🎧 In our latest episode of Unsolicited Feedback, we delved deep into the world of customer research in 2024 and the potential for AI to revolutionize how we handle qualitative data.Our guest, Behzod Sirjani, shared his experience as a research consultant and advisor, helping companies make better decisions by enhancing their research and data science practices. He sees himself as a personal trainer for companies, aiding them in extrac...2024-03-0546 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAaron White Dives Deep on Navigating AI's Horizon: Future-Proofing Products in the Age of AINavigating AI's Horizon: Future-Proofing Products in the Age of AIWe're continuing our chat with AI enthusiast, Aaron White in part 2 of our series. This time, we're diving into how different AI products measure up against the ever-evolving S-Curve.Before we jump into it, following our podcast summary, we've got a BONUS (edited for time) chat where Aaron, Fareed, and Brian weigh in on the advantages of the top players in the AI race.That clip is exclusively posted to our Youtube page, so after you finish listening to this episode, make sure...2024-02-2942 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAaron White (Vendr, ProfitWell) Riffs on the Future of AI 🤖Our first guest for Season 2 is none other than Aaron White. Aaron, the recent CTO of Vendr, Co-Founder of ProfitWell, and Founder of Blissfully, is now in stealth mode with a new AI venture called AppyPeople. Besides his impressive credentials, Aaron has long been a passionate advocate and expert in all things AI. Having him as our inaugural guest this season was a perfect fit!But before we dive in, we're trying something a bit different this season. Every episode will be divided into two parts - a Riff and a Deep Dive.In this...2024-02-2732 min
Higher Signal: Get Smarter. Faster.Growth Clinic: Retain or Die - Retention Panel (Brian Balfour, Julia Lipton, Fareed Mosavat)1. Identifying Actionable Retention Issues: Brian starts by determining if retention problems are actionable or stem from broader issues like product-market fit or poor user acquisition quality.2. Slicing the Retention Curve: Brian suggests analyzing retention vertically (early, middle, long-term, resurrection phases) and horizontally (user attributes and sources) to identify problem spots and actionable segments.3. Importance of Activation: Julia and Fareed emphasize focusing on early retention (activation) because forming a positive initial opinion has significant long-term retention impacts, as reflected in the retention curve.4. Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative Data: Julia shares a story from Rise, where customer interviews led...2024-02-2603 minHigher Signal: Get Smarter. Faster.Growth Clinic: Retain or Die - Retention Panel (Brian Balfour, Julia Lipton, Fareed Mosavat)1. Identifying Actionable Retention Issues: Brian starts by determining if retention problems are actionable or stem from broader issues like product-market fit or poor user acquisition quality.2. Slicing the Retention Curve: Brian suggests analyzing retention vertically (early, middle, long-term, resurrection phases) and horizontally (user attributes and sources) to identify problem spots and actionable segments.3. Importance of Activation: Julia and Fareed emphasize focusing on early retention (activation) because forming a positive initial opinion has significant long-term retention impacts, as reflected in the retention curve.4. Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative Data: Julia shares a story from Rise, where customer interviews led...2024-02-2603 min
Unsolicited FeedbackSeth Berman (Stripe) Riffs on Superbowl Ads, New Products, and Temu's FutureRiffing on Superbowl Ads, New Products, and Temu's Future 🚀On our first Riff of Season 2, we kicked things off with everyone's least favorite commercial (besides Kanye's self-recorded call from the back of a car) - TEMU.Anyone else feeling the urge for another Temu commercial? 🙈 🤣Well, despite our personal preferences, they must have had some rationale for investing a reported $21M across three seemingly lower budget spots.We had the pleasure of welcoming Growth Marketing Expert, Seth Berman, to discuss this. But before we dive in, we're trying something a bit different...2024-02-2030 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAdvancing Your Product Career in an AI WorldWe're back for Season 2, launching Feb 20!We recently held our first live Unsolicited Feedback taping where Brian & Fareed discussed Advancing Your Product Career in an AI World. They also had the opportunity to answer your questions live! We have more of these events planned, so if you're interested in attending, be sure to sign up for our email list at Unsolicitedfeedback.co.In today's episode, Brian revisits his now legendary blog post, How to Become a Customer Acquisition Expert. In short, the post focuses on enhancing your skillsets by adopting a "T" shape approach.2024-02-0557 min
Unsolicited FeedbackAndrew Chen (a16z) Unveils Lessons from Gaming: The Power of Community, Creativity, and StorytellingWe're back for Part 2 of our Season Finale with Andrew Chen, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Today, we're deep-diving into the lessons Andrew has gleaned from his years focusing on gaming 🎮 at Andreessen Horowitz. Plus, we'll round off our 2024 discussion with an exploration of emerging growth channels 📈🚀.We want YOU to be part of the show and the conversation. We're discussing predictions RIGHT NOW on LinkedIn, HERE. Think we're wrong? Tell us live. Let's talk about it. If you prefer giving us feedback offline, please fill out our "feedback form” HERE, and we'll start discussing...2024-01-0346 min
Startup DadThe Best of Startup Dad for 2023 (Multiple guests)Welcome to the last Startup Dad episode of 2023! It has been one hell of a year. Starting in June I released a show a week for the entire rest of the year; 27 episodes in total. Talking parenthood with dozens of startup dads and a few startup moms blew away all of my expectations. For this episode I pulled together the best of over two dozen conversations covering everything from mistakes made to frameworks for parenting success. At the end I asked many of my guests what they're most looking forward to in 2024.This episode includes excerpts from...2023-12-292h 23
Unsolicited FeedbackAndrew Chen’s (a16z) 2024 Predictions: The Future of Product, Growth, and AIWhat's in store for 2024? 🤔 Andrew Chen, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, joined us on the Season Finale of Unsolicited Feedback to share his insights.Before we dive in…
Surprise! This is only the first part of our conversation with Andrew. Make sure to mark your calendars for Part 2, landing on January 3, 2024!
This marks our Season Finale, but fear not! We'll be back and better than ever. Season 2 kicks off in late January with an updated format, new guests, and an elevated spice level as we're shifting from Jalapeños 🌶️ to Habaneros 🌶️🌶️🌶️.
We want YOU to be part of the show and the c...2023-12-2641 min
Unsolicited FeedbackMeghan Keaney Anderson (Jasper) & Mary Sheehan (Author) Cut Through the AI Clutter While Contextualizing the Latest From Google’s GeminiThis week, Product Marketing experts Meghan Keaney Anderson (Jasper.AI, HubSpot) & Mary Sheehan (Author, AdRoll) joins us to discuss how to navigate and cut through the intricate clutter of Artificial Intelligence while contextualizing the most recent developments from Google’s Gemini. We discuss how to tackle crowded markets, what makes a great marketer, and strategies that can help companies stand out amidst the AI chaos. For a full episode summary, exclusive Youtube clips, and more, please join our newsletter at UnsolicitedFeedback.co!2023-12-121h 00
Startup DadStartup Dad Holiday Gifting Episode - The Best and Worst Parenting Purchases Ever, Best And Worst Gifts For Your Spouse, and The Best Gifts Ever ReceivedWelcome to a special Holiday Edition of Startup Dad! As parents we all need to go easy on ourselves at this time of the year. To bring a little holiday cheer to your lives I went back through 2023's roster of guests and highlighted their best and worst parenting purchases. You'll also hear a series of never-before-shared thoughts on the best and worst holiday presents they've ever given their spouse and the best and worst gifts they've ever received.You'll hear from past guests: Adam Grenier, Alex Cohen, Casey Woo, Brian Balfour, Buster Benson, Gaurav Vohra, Aaron...2023-12-0718 min
Unsolicited FeedbackNabeel Hyatt's (Spark Capital) Lessons from His 2023 Wrapped, Midjourney's Unique Growth Loops, and Google's AI Crisis.This week, Nabeel Hyatt (GP at Spark Capital) joins us to discuss:Our version of a 2023 Wrapped: Tech Edition. Nabeel reflects on what he looks for in founders to bet on.Next, we perform a growth model breakdown on Midjouney's unconventional success. (Starts at 39:12)Finally, we discuss the viral SEO Heist and its implications for Google's future. (Starts at 1:24:50)For a full episode summary, exclusive Youtube clips, and more, please join our newsletter at UnsolicitedFeedback.co!2023-12-051h 45
Unsolicited FeedbackChris Savage (Wistia) Analyzes InVision's Downfall, Reviews Humane’s Product Reveal, and Discusses the OpenAI DramaThis week, our dynamic duo, Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat, have the pleasure of hosting Chris Savage, the Co-Founder & CEO of Wistia.Our post-Thanksgiving menu features a hearty discussion about InVision's fall (starts at 14:30), spiced up with Chris's “Savage” critique of Humane's product reveal (starts at 36:15).Of course, we couldn't resist visiting the OpenAI drama that's been simmering recently.To round off, Chris shares a product he is excited about, Ro.am.For a full episode summary, exclusive Youtube clips, and more, please join our newsletter at UnsolicitedFeedback.co!2023-11-281h 11
Unsolicited FeedbackLaura Schaffer (Amplitude) Dissects Cameo's Rise and Fall; Plus New Benchmarks for Companies in 2024Laura Schaffer Dissects Cameo's Rise and Fall; Plus New Benchmarks for Companies in 2024This week, Brian Balfour and Casey Winters are joined by Laura Schaffer, the VP of Growth at Amplitude. Laura is bringing the heat as we unpack the rise and fall of Cameo and discuss what the latest SaaS benchmarks mean for companies braving the challenging waters ahead in 2024.Our discussion about Cameo begins at 4:30, and the conversation of the Openview VC Benchmarks starts at 39:14.We have a full summary of the episode available at UnsolicitedFeedback.co.Want to...2023-11-211h 19
Unsolicited FeedbackCem Kansu (Duolingo) Analyzes the Implications of OpenAI's DevDay and Airbnb's Release StrategyCem Kansu on OpenAI's DevDay and Airbnb's StrategyJoin us with Cem Kansu, VP of Product at Duolingo, as we discuss Duolingo's expansion into math and music (starts immediately), OpenAI's DevDay (starts at 21:15), and Airbnb's bi-annual product announcement (starts at 1:03:05).We’re covering the highlights from our OpenAI discussion below, but join us at UnsolicitedFeedback.co for full episode summaries.OpenAI's GPT Store: A New Frontier or a Wild West? 🤠OpenAI's recent announcement of their GPT store has sent ripples through the tech world. But what does this mean for product and g...2023-11-141h 29
Unsolicited FeedbackAustin Hay (Ramp) Examines What's Next for HubSpot's Newest Acquisition, Clearbit; Plus a Defense of FreemiumAustin Hay Examines What's Next for HubSpot's Newest Acquisition, Clearbit; Plus a Defense of FreemiumThis week, we're thrilled to discuss the biggest bombshell acquisition in the marketing space - HubSpot's acquisition of Clearbit. To really understand the implications here, we tapped Austin Hay, a renowned expert in marketing technology.Austin, who currently leads MarTech at Ramp, has previously worked with prominent companies like Branch and Runway and advised industry leaders like Notion, Walmart, and Postmates on their marketing technology strategies. Today he joins us to discuss:1️⃣ HubSpot’s acquisition of Clearbit (Starts at 2:36...2023-11-091h 20
Unsolicited FeedbackDarius Contractor (Otter.ai) Joins to Unpack Arc's Viral Loops and Show the Slack Redesign Haters They’re WrongDarius Contractor Joins to Unpack Arc's Viral Loops and Show the Slack Redesign Haters They’re WrongThis week, Brian and Fareed are joined by Darius Contractor, the current Chief Growth Officer at Otter.ai. Darius has a background in growth, product, and engineering, and his experience spans some of the world's most notable companies. These include early social media platform Bebo and renowned unicorns like Facebook, Dropbox, and Airtable.This week, we're all about the praise 🙌!1️⃣ First, we're discussing why Arc is succeeding in a market crowded with powerful incumbents.2️⃣ Next, we're def...2023-11-021h 23
Unsolicited FeedbackCrystal Widjaja (Gojek) Unlocks the Secrets of Unmeasurable Metrics and Extracts Lessons from Convoy's Downfall!This week, we are joined by Crystal Widjaja, a data-driven product expert. Crystal has held product and data leadership roles at various companies, including Kumu and Gojek, a super app and delivery and logistics platform in Southeast Asia. In these roles, she led data teams and product teams.Crystal is also a prolific contributor to Reforge, providing valuable insights through our programs, blog, and artifacts. If you enjoy what you hear in the podcast, you can find more of Crystal's rich insights at Reforge.com.This week, we will be discussing:
Jason Cohen's blog...2023-10-261h 17
Unsolicited FeedbackPatrick Campbell (ProfitWell) Joins for a Growth Model Breakdown of Loom, Plus Patrick Campbell's Pricing CornerThis week, Unsolicited Feedback is thrilled to welcome Patrick Campbell. Patrick was founder and CEO of ProfitWell, an analytics tool for subscription companies, which was sold to payments company Paddle about a year ago for $200 million. This week’s episode features:1️⃣ Patrick Campbell’s Pricing Corner as he dishes out hot-takes on Unity’s pricing faux pa, AI’s monetization challenges, and the state of the macroeconomy (starts at 12:22)2️⃣ A Deep Dive into Loom’s growth models in light of their acquisition by Atlassian. Plus, is the acquisition a win-win? (starts at...2023-10-191h 27
Unsolicited FeedbackClaire Vo (Color) Tackles Monetization Strategy for AI Businesses and Protecting the Super ICs in ProductClaire Vo Tackles Monetization Strategy for AI Businesses and Protecting the Super ICs in ProductThis week, Unsolicited Feedback is thrilled to welcome Claire Vo to the virtual table. Claire, the CPO at Color and former CPO at Optimizely, is known for her prolific Product HotTakes on X! Join us as we dive into an engaging conversation with Claire and get ready for some hot takes as:1️⃣ This week’s trio analyze the real cost and pricing challenges of new AI products (starts at 10:37)2️⃣ Brian & Fareed deliver some Unsolic...2023-10-121h 25
Unsolicited FeedbackJoff Redfern (Menlo VC) Discusses AI's Onboarding Conundrum & Adobe's Web-First Photoshop🎙️ In this week's episode of Unsolicited Feedback, Joff Redfern, the former Chief Product Officer at Atlassian and current Venture Partner at Menlo Ventures, joins the podcast. Fareed takes a bye-week, and Brian welcomes back Adam Fishman as his co-host.This week's discussion includes:1️⃣ Unlocking the Potential of AI Businesses (Starts at 17:05)2️⃣ The Release of Adobe's Web-Version of Photoshop (Starts at 1:06:41)We also kick off the episode with Joff introducing us to the Swiss Cheese Method. Curious? Find out more by watching the episode.🚀 AI's Onboarding...2023-10-051h 36
Unsolicited FeedbackElena Verna (Dropbox) Analyzes Airtable's Shift to Enterprise and Slack's Product RoadmapThis week, Unsolicited Feedback welcomes Elena Verna - the OG of PLG, former SVP growth at Survey Monkey, and renowned PLG advisor to Miro, Amplitude and MongoDB. Now, she’s the Interim Head of Growth at Dropbox, and trust us, you’re not going to want to miss what she has to say as today’s trio:🥅 Discuss what it takes to be a solopreneur expert (starts immediately)🥊 Battle it out with AI-written PLG trivia (starts at 9:30)🔥 Debate whether Airtable’s shift to enterprise is a disaster in...2023-09-281h 35
Unsolicited FeedbackRavi Mehta (Outpace) Analyzes the Switching Costs from Jira to Linear, Plus Unity's Pricing Faux PasOur third guest at Unsolicited Feedback is none other than Ravi Mehta - previously the CPO at Tinder, Product Director at Facebook, and VP of Product at Tripadvisor. Now, he's the co-founder and CEO of Outpace, and Ravi is not afraid to swipe left as they🧳 Analyze the migration from Jira to Linear, including the conditions that triggered Ravi’s switch (starts at 1:32)🔥 Discuss Airtable's move to conquer the up-market (starts at 27:43)🔮 Offer some hindsight Unity probably would have appreciated heading into their pricing change this week(starts at 50:41)2023-09-211h 27
Unsolicited FeedbackCasey Winters' (Growth Advisor) Take on HubSpot's Product Announcements, the Creator Economy & the Future of Marketplaces🚀 Check out the latest episode of Unsolicited Feedback! 🎧In our third installment, we're joined by the legendary Casey Winters, Reforge program partner and prolific growth expert. 🌟 In this episode, we:🔮 Revisit our predictions for where Twitter and Threads will be in 1 year (starts at 1:21)🔍 Uncover a hidden gem in HubSpot’s latest product release (starts at 14:26)💡 Discuss the viability of the creator economy (starts at 44:17)🏬 Understand Casey’s perspective on the future of marketplaces (starts at 1:07:41)Tune in now to get the inside scoop on these...2023-09-191h 19
Unsolicited FeedbackAdam Fishman (Product Advisor) talks Figma for Devs, Zoom’s COVID product strategy, and Twitter's Creator PayoutsThis week, we have special guest Adam Fishman, original proclaimed Growth Daddy (defined as a father and a growth expert), a Reforge mainstay, and formerly of Lyft, Patreon, and Imperfect Foods.Today he and our hosts are discussing Figma for Dev, Zoom’s COVID strategy, and Twitter’s Creator Payouts.🎨→ ⌨️ Figma for Dev from Unsolicited FeedbackFigma for Dev offers deep lessons and the experts agree it’s a brilliant move.💰 Figma unlocked unparalleled PLG through their unconventional pricing strategy: Most tools price per seat, but Figma realized that this creates...2023-09-141h 33
Unsolicited FeedbackUnsolicited Feedback on Twitter/X's Outpouring of Product Changes and the Impact of YouTube Shorts on Its Core Business.📢 Hey everyone! Welcome to Unsolicited Feedback! In our debut episode, co-hosts Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat discuss Twitter's creator monetization and enterprise verification offerings, as well as internal fears at YouTube that their YouTube Shorts feature will cannibalize their core longer-form content.🐤 Let's start with Twitter/X (we’re still getting used to the new name…): 🐤🔍 Twitter's recent releases include the Creator Monetization Offering and Enterprise Verification Offering.👍 You cannot think your way out of a revenue gap. You have to ship your way out of it. Twitter u...2023-09-101h 15
Everyone Hates Marketers | No-BS Marketing & Brand Strategy PodcastGrowth Loops: The End of Traditional Funnels?I’m so f*cking happy to announce that my book, Stand The F*ck Out, is officially available for PURCHASE! To buy the book—and more!—DIRECTLY from us and support our small business, go to: book.stfo.ioFree Shipping Worldwide • Ripped Apart by 70+ Marketers • Money-Back Guarantee • Secure Online Payment***It’s time to stop viewing your business as a funnel.If you want your business to grow more efficiently, it’s time to start implementing growth loops into your business’s growth model.Brian Balfour, Founder/CEO o...2019-05-1452 min