In the Season 2 finale of Practical Product Management, Leah and Marilyn close the year with an honest and deeply human conversation. They revisit the idea of being the CEO of your own life, choosing who gets a seat at your personal board table, and why your job doesn’t deserve a vote in your identity. They explore the hard parts of product leadership and reflect on the importance of having a strong spine as a team. They also share the joyful, real-life practices that keep them grounded, from baking to moon rituals to community building, ending the season with a hopeful reminder: if your life doesn’t feel the way you want it to, you get to choose again.

Key Takeaways

1. You Are the CEO of Your Life - You choose who gets a seat on your personal board of directors...and your job, your boss, and your company don’t get a vote. The people who guide you should care about your joy, humanity, and long-term well-being, not your output. 

2. Courage + Clarity Are Non-Negotiable - Whether it’s prioritization, layoffs, financial decisions, or leadership accountability, most organizational pain stems from avoiding the hard conversations. Teams need spine, honesty, and transparency to make real progress. 

3. Humanity vs Frameworks - No org chart, process, or framework can fix a team that’s running on fear. Creativity and problem-solving only happen when people feel safe, trusted, and able to tell the truth. Product is fundamentally human work and leaders must “human” before anything else.