171. From Facebook, eBay & Target to Startup CEO: Anya Cheng on Product Strategy & AI

In this episode, host Pedro Ganço sits down with Anya Cheng, an award-winning product leader, entrepreneur, and founder of Taelor, an AI-powered menswear rental service. Anya shares her journey from working at global tech giants to launching her own startup, offering invaluable insights into product strategy, team building, stakeholder management, and the future of AI in product management. Throughout the conversation, Anya dives into the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of validating hypotheses, and how gamification enhances user experience. She also discusses how AI is reshaping product development and why transparency and agility are key to scaling successful products. If you're looking to navigate the world of innovation, startups, and product leadership, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration! Key Takeaways: ➡️ You only need one great feature to make a successful product. ➡️ Being a founder is far more challenging than working in established companies. ➡️ Validating ideas before scaling is crucial in product management. ➡️ Gamification can enhance user experience and engagement. ➡️ The future of product management will be driven by data and AI. ➡️ Stakeholder management and team-building are essential for long-term success. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Product Management and Innovation 05:51 Anya Cheng's Journey and the Birth of Taylor 12:48 Navigating Stakeholder Management in Large Organizations 19:49 Balancing Autonomy and Vision in Product Management 25:16 The Challenges of Being a Startup Founder 27:24 Gamification in User Experience 29:03 Understanding User Needs and Gamification 35:51 Balancing Research and Product Development 38:23 Building Effective Teams in Startups 41:36 Product Strategy in Startups vs. Large Organizations 46:12 Maintaining Agility While Scaling 49:08 The Future of Product Management and AI Where to find Anya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyacheng/ Experience effortless style with rental and personal styling services: Taelor: Get 25% OFF your first month of men's clothing subscription. Use code: PODCAST25 Sign up at: https://taelor.style/pages/membership Armoire: Get 50% OFF your first month of women's clothing subscription. Use code: ArmoirexTaelor Sign up at: https://www.armoire.style/refer/ArmoirexTaelor Give the gift of time, convenience, and effortless style: Taelor Gift Cards: Get 10% OFF Use code: PODCASTGIFT Purchase at: https://taelor.style/products/menswear-rental-gift-card Where to find Pedro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedroganco/ 🎉 Mark your calendars for Productized Conference 2025! Join us for the 10th edition of this premier event, where product management leaders from around the world gather for insightful talks, networking, and celebration. Tickets are already available—don’t miss out! Get your tickets now: https://www.productized.co Where to find us: Newsletter: http://bit.ly/3aMvWn2 Website: https://productized.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/productized Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/productized.co/ Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/pt-BR/Productized/