In this episode of All Things Product, Petra Wille and Teresa Torres dive deep into the often-overlooked topic of professional development for product leaders. Drawing from their own experiences and coaching practices, they explore why leaders struggle to invest in themselves, what the real blockers are (spoiler: it’s not just budget), and how to navigate growth despite uncertainty and overwhelm.
From frameworks like the Learning Menu to the uncomfortable truth about leading during downturns, this episode is both a rallying cry and a practical guide for any product leader ready to take their development seriously. Vulnerability, coaching, reflective practices, and skill-building—all on the table.
Whether you're a head of product, a seasoned CPO, or simply a product leader feeling stuck—this one's for you.
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27:01
Big Backlogs
Drowning in Jira tickets? Wondering how to prioritize when every stakeholder has a “brilliant” idea and your roadmap is already bursting at the seams?
In this episode of All Things Product, Teresa Torres and Petra Wille tackle one of the most common pain points in product management: the giant, messy, unmanageable backlog. From auto-closing ancient tickets to reframing prioritization as filtering for impact, they share battle-tested tactics to bring order to chaos—without spinning your wheels ranking 400 items.
Whether you're inheriting a legacy product, working in a feature factory, or just trying to make smarter decisions faster, this episode offers practical, real-world advice you can apply today.
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19:18
Iterating on Product Strategy
What happens when your product strategy doesn’t match what your teams are learning in discovery? In this episode of All Things Product, Teresa Torres and Petra Wille unpack how to spot when your strategy needs a refresh—and how to evolve it based on real customer insights.
They challenge the assumption that most organizations even have a clear product strategy, explore what makes a strategy actionable (and durable), and offer practical guidance for product leaders and teams navigating discovery-driven change.
You’ll walk away with tools to:
✅ Identify implicit vs. explicit strategy
✅ Use discovery insights to evolve strategic direction
✅ Create feedback loops between product teams and leadership
✅ Measure if your strategy is actually working
✅ Whether you're in a startup juggling shifting priorities or a mature org trying to keep strategy aligned across teams, this conversation brings clarity to a complex topic.
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21:06
Crafting a Conference Talk
Public speaking can be daunting—especially when you're aiming for a big stage. In this episode of All Things Product, Petra and Teresa pull back the curtain on how they craft their conference talks from scratch. Whether you're eyeing your first local meetup or preparing for a keynote at a major conference, they walk you through their real-world processes, share personal stories (and stumbles), and offer practical tips to help you step onto any stage with confidence.
From finding your unique take on a topic to rehearsing like a pro (yes, 30+ times is a thing!), this conversation is packed with honest insights and encouragement for anyone wanting to grow their public speaking game.
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32:09
Capacity Planning
In this episode of All Things Product, Petra Wille and Teresa Torres tackle a big question: How does capacity planning fit in an outcome-driven, discovery-first organization? Spoiler alert—it usually doesn’t.
Teresa shares why traditional capacity planning breaks her heart, while Petra offers a nuanced take on how her past teams used it for internal alignment (not control). Together, they explore the clash between rigid planning rituals and the reality of continuous discovery work.
Expect some honest rants, practical reframes, and a few metaphors (yes, rocks, pebbles, and sand make an appearance). If you’ve ever sat through a multi-hour spreadsheet meeting only to fall behind on your roadmap—this one’s for you.
All Things Product with Teresa and Petra – Unfiltered, insightful, and straight to the point.
Join Teresa Torres and Petra Wille as they dive into the world of product management—one topic at a time. No long interviews, no fluff—just real conversations about the challenges, trends, and ideas shaping the way we build products.
Each week, we tackle a different topic in short, digestible episodes (15-30 minutes)—perfect for your morning commute or coffee break.
🎯 What to expect:
🔹 Curated randomness: We take turns picking topics, bringing fresh perspectives to each discussion.
🔹 Unscripted, authentic conversations: Personal experiences, opinions, and practical advice—without the corporate polish.
🔹 For product people, by product people: Whether you're a product manager or product leader, you’ll find insights you can actually use.
Expect deep dives into product thinking, decision-making, leadership, experimentation, AI, and more—plus the occasional spicy take.
💡 Got a topic you’d love us to cover? Send it our way!
🎧 Listen to All Things Product on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation.
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