What does it really mean to make AI practical in product teams?

In this special year-end episode, Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin are sharing highlights from a recent Product Rebels live webinar focused on how product leaders can apply AI in meaningful, responsible ways.

Joined by Polly Allen, former Principal Product Manager at Alexa AI, they explore grounding AI in real customer problems, aligning AI efforts to business strategy, and why leaders can’t afford to stay hands-off.

This is a candid, experience-driven conversation about judgment, risk, and leadership in an AI-powered product world.

What happens when a product leader enters a company and rewrites the strategy playbook—not with a megaphone, but with a matchstick and a campfire?

Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Raji Bedi, CPO at Lob, as he shares his analogies-packed approach to aligning teams, building product culture, and moving from "roadmap blur" to clarity and execution. From transforming product managers into organizational "locals", to advocating for faster cadence and fuller buckets, Raji offers a masterclass in practical product leadership.

Tune in for a memorable and energizing conversation on curiosity, collaboration, and leading with intent.

This special episode of Product Rebels brings you highlights from a recent webinar hosted by Heather Samarin and Vidya Dinamani, and featuring product veteran Ravi Mehta. With AI hype reaching fever pitch, many product teams are being pushed to “do AI”—without clear strategy or outcomes.

In this candid conversation, we break down what’s really working in teams today. Learn the Inspire, Validate, Structure, and Ship framework designed to move your team from idea to impact with clarity. If you’re a product leader navigating how to integrate AI meaningfully, this episode offers practical steps, real examples, and a refreshing no-fluff approach.

What does it really mean to be a product rebel?

Heather Samarin and Vidya Dinamani sit down with Saurabh Sharma, CPO at You.com, as he shares how asking the tough questions can shift an entire company's trajectory.

From tackling NFT theft at OpenSea to transforming product leadership with resilience, Saurabh brings real-world insight on thinking systemically, building partnerships, and elevating PM influence.

Learn how he uses "relentless subtraction" to stay focused, why RQ matters just as much as IQ, and how understanding your stakeholder's language can unlock big wins.

How do you drive lasting change in one of the most complex and high-stakes industries—healthcare?

Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Nasir Ali, former CPO at CareMetx, to explore how a product mindset can reshape legacy systems.

From shifting to scalable solutions to outcome-based contracts, Nasir shares real-world tactics and lessons in driving innovation at scale.

What does it take to drive product innovation across cultures, languages, and business units?

Heather Samarin and Vidya Dinamani sit down with Chris Pasley, former VP of Product at 17Live, as he shares lessons from scaling product at a global live-streaming platform. From managing incentives in a “whale economy” to aligning cross-country OKRs, Chris shares stories of stakeholder wrangling, cultural empathy, and staying true to the customer. He also offers a practical framework for defining MVPs and driving impact through problem-cause-solution thinking.

What does it take to build products that transform not just classrooms, but the entire education space?

Heather Samarin and Vidya Dinamani sit down with a product leader who's done just that—Rachel Stack, Chief Humanities Officer at Great Minds. From navigating complex nonprofit-to-for-profit transformation, Rachel shares how her teams embraced continuous learning, prioritized with discipline, and preserved the "special sauce" of mission-driven education.

Explore real talk on product structure, educator-led development, value stream mapping, and how to lead with curiosity while staying grounded in purpose.

What does it take to push back against the status quo—and win?

Vidya Dinamani and Heather Samarin sit down with Colt Stander, CPO at Presence, as he shares what it means to be a true product rebel.

From tackling overlooked customer problems to navigating leadership resistance, Colt reveals how his teams tested controversial ideas and drove innovation in hardware and healthcare. He offers honest insights on product storytelling, user obsession and why the best PMs challenge assumptions.